Fallen
by klarolineepiclove
Summary: Caroline Forbes was a woman with a secret. Running from a shattered past, she settles in New Orleans, determined to disappear in the crowds and chaos. When her path continually crosses with the Mikaelson family, her plans go awry. When she finds herself drawn to the charasmatic Klaus, she begins to wonder: How far can you run before the past catches up with you? AU/AH Klaroline
1. Chapter 1

**Fallen**

**A.N. Greetings! Welcome to the next segment of Alex Writes Stuff! Once again, I want to thank everyone that followed and reviewed and favorited Rescue Me, making it such a treat to write, and I can only hope that you all-new and old readers-enjoy this one as much as that. **

**I'd like to say now that I've never been to New Orleans. I only know what I know about it from movies and books and the amazing pictures I've seen. So please don't hesitate to correct me if I happen to slaughter this great city.**

**I know the first chapter is kind of short, but that only means the next chapter will be up soon.**

**As always, see you peeps at the bottom. **

**000000000**

_Red._

_It was all she could see. It was everywhere._

_On her hands, on her clothes, in her hair, between her fingers...no matter where she looked, all she saw was glistening red._

_Her breath came in shuddering gasps as she stumbled to the door, bare feet sliding on the polished oak floor. Her legs felt like jelly, barely able to hold her own weight, and her hands clawed at the paneled walls as she slumped against them, sobs wracking her body._

_If she could just make it to the door...if she could just shoulder her way outside, if she could just make it those last final inches..._

_Thunder cracked as lightning lit the midnight sky, and as she pushed open the door and fell to the pavement, she raised her head, eyes panicked, and screamed._

0000000

"Welcome to the dark side of New Orleans...where the living are easily lost and the dead...stick around to play."

The man who spoke was large and burly, his mess of brown hair reaching well past his shoulders and nearly matching inch for inch the beard on his face. He was dressed in leather-jacket, shoes, pants-and faded ink of prison tattoos graced nearly every inch of his hands and arms. In any other instance, people would more than likely be on edge around this man, but his friendly smile and the jovial lilt of his voice was a stark contrast to his every appearance.

The crowd of tourists shuffled along behind the amiable tour guide, the click of shutters and flashing of bulbs following their every step as they gawked and awed at the legendary French Quarter around them. They looked on with smiles and aimless chatter, so lost in their own wonderment they failed to notice the small blonde woman who melded into their ranks, her cautious blue eyes taking in every sight and sound with them, but with a different fascination.

Shifting the small duffel bag draped across her shoulder, Caroline Forbes let her eyes slowly rake across the flurry of activity that was erupting around her. Music poured from nearly every building, lively upbeat tunes that had the people swaying their hips and dancing in the streets. Bright colors pierced the sky, from flags to the banners and streamers, all declaring the life and beauty that this city had to offer.

The life and beauty was seductive, Caroline conceded as she let a small smile grace her face as she watched a troupe of children weave in and out of the crowds, their laughter ringing in her ears. But it was the flurry and the hustle and bustle-the sheer ability of anyone and everyone to simply fade into the crowd-that she was counting on.

"New York is lauded as the City That Never Sleeps, but don't let their bright lights and speeding cars fool you," their tour guide laughed, spinning on his heels to face them, his hands twirling in the air to indicate the bustle around them. "This city is alive with music and magic and laughter from daylight to midnight. Make no mistake, my friends...THIS...is the city of opportunity."

00000000

"There's not much to it," the young woman who'd opened the door to the apartment said with a smile and a shrug as she led Caroline down the hall. "Two bedrooms, two baths...the kitchen is pretty huge, and so is the living room, which kind of makes up for the smallness of everything else. Plus, you know, the view over the Quarter is breathtaking."

Caroline let her fingers drift over the countertops as she peered out the window, her eyes taking in the non stop streams of people hovering in the streets below. She shifted on her feet, glancing over her shoulder and offering the girl a smile. "It's great."

Bonnie Bennett was beautiful and statuesque, with caramel colored skin and dark curls that cascaded over her shoulders, and brown eyes that appeared to take in every little detail as they happened. She leaned against the doorway that separated the kitchen from the rest of the apartment, arms crossed over her chest and a friendly smile on her face. She nodded, shrugging. "Yeah, it's served me well. Though, you know, with student loans and bills piling up, it's gotten just a little more hefty than what I can manage on my own, hence the ad in the paper."

Caroline nodded, wrapping her arms around her torso as she lifted herself onto her tiptoes, looking out into the expansive living room.

"I'm in Med School. so I'm afraid my hours here will kind of yo-yo. Lots of late nights and early mornings. I'm here on weekends all the time, though. Well...most of the time." She laughed. "Hopefully solitude isn't a total deal breaker for you."

The blonde shook her head, nibbling at her lower lip as she settled back on her heels.

"The, um, the room comes furnished with the essentials. Bed, dresser, nightstand. The closet space isn't fantastic, but it's workable. I don't know how much you brought with you, but there's those." She smiled, pushing away from the wall and swinging her arms at her sides as she stepped further into the kitchen. "Anyway, I'm sure you want to think it over, maybe check out a few other places..."

Caroline shook her head, shifting on her feet. "No, actually, I love it. It's...perfect," she smiled.

Bonnie blinked for a moment, the blonde's sudden certainty throwing her off slightly, but then the smile widened on her face and she nodded in return, bobbing her shoulders. "Oh. Well, okay then," she laughed, striding forward and extending her hand. She watched as Caroline stared at it for a brief moment, her fingers flexing against the sides before she let out a breath, smiling, and quickly slipped her own hand into hers.

"Welcome to New Orleans."

**000000000**

**Are we intrigued? Bored? Confused? Please let me know. I love hearing from you all.**

**Thanks to Becky and Miranda for their awesome support and opinions. And thank you to Mel for the incredible cover for this story.**

**Follow me over on that Tumblr thing that's all the craze now: klarolineepiclove**

**Until next time!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Fallen**

**A.N. I'm so glad you all were intrigued by the first chapter! I know it wasn't much to go on, but as with most stories, exposition is the worst part, but it must be done. But for shizzle, your responses have been so incredible. You all are the best ever. Period.**

**Thanks to Leah, Becky, and Miranda for their help with this chapter. They talked me off a ledge when I thought about discontinuing it, so please shower them with love and affection.**

**As always, I'll see you guys at the bottom. Enjoy!**

**00000000000**

"Let's move these pieces to the south parlor. I want the Deveraux exhibit to be the at the forefront this weekend, and I'm worried the other pieces will overshadow it and make it seem a bit too cluttered."

Klaus Mikaelson gestured towards the artwork that adorned the walls around him as he spoke to his assistant, his brow furrowed as he let his gaze shift from frame to frame.

Sire Studios was one of the most prestigious art galleries in the southern United States. Priding itself on showcasing "A Different Kind of Art," it housed the works of both well known and amateur artists, launching names and careers as well as fetching the highest prices for one of a kind works of art. Landscapes, portraits, abstracts-there was no prejudice at what graced the walls beneath the high vaulted ceilings.

As an artist himself, Klaus was all too familiar with the push and pull that came with showcasing your art. He had lost count of how often his works at been rejected by gallery after gallery, always citing something different. He was too "fresh," too eclectic, too dark. There wasn't enough clout behind his name to garner the kind of attention they wanted. They catered to a certain kind of clientele, and his work just wasn't up to par with their expectations.

"You want to move them all to the back?" Dean asked, his thumbs hovering over the keys of his Blackberry as he raised a brow at his employer. Klaus turned to him, and he shrugged, pursing his lips. "Doesn't it make more sense to get the hot pieces sold first? We've had Sophie's pieces for months. She's not quite the prize winning item at the moment."

Klaus smiled at him, laughing softly under his breath as he stepped towards him. "That's the point, mate," he said. "These pieces are fresh. They're vibrant and new. People will clamor for them. They'll bid and bicker over them, but they'll sell because they've not been seen. They will have time to be showcased. They'll have their own spotlight. It's the older pieces that need it now." He sighed, turning back to the row of photographs hung onto walls behind him. "Sophie's brilliant. She's...deep and intuitive. She can tell her own story through a camera lens and have the viewer follow along with rapt attention. She's sees the beauty in the dark." He glanced back at Dean, raising his eyebrows. "It would be a travesty if she didn't get her time to shine."

Dean nodded, his eyes dropping to the device in his hands as he smiled. "You're the boss."

Klaus chuckled, shaking his head. "Just the man behind the curtain," he said, turning and beginning to make his way down the hall. "The real ones in charge are those that put their genius in my-damn!" He growled under his breath as his footing stumbled, a sharp pain beginning to radiate from the arch of his foot despite the soled shoes he wore.

He lifted his foot, stepping back to glare at the offending item he'd landed on, and bending down to pick up the detached airplane wing. He let out an audible sigh, straightening to his full height and clutching the piece of plastic in his hand. "Declan!"

He listened as the tiny pitter patter of footsteps resounded down the hallway, his eyes raising when the small form rounded the corner. He watched as the young boy made his way towards him, his small hands holding tightly to a model airplane, wide brown eyes staring up at him. His black and white tennis shoes squeaked against the porcelain floor as he stopped in front of him, the sleeves of his hooded sweatshirt hanging loosely down his arms as he swayed back and forth slightly.

Klaus bent down, dropping to one knee as he met the boy at eye level, holding out the piece of his toy that had found its way into his path. "What have I told you about leaving your toys out in the open like this?" he asked, his voice stern yet quiet. Declan's brown eyes searched his face before dropping to the piece of plastic in his hand. "You know someone could get hurt if they trip over this."

The small tow headed boy nodded, slowly reaching out and taking the toy from his outstretched hand. He sighed as Declan raised his eyes towards him again, and he dropped his arm so it rested on his knee. "Just be more careful."

"Declan Oliver Mikaelson, you best come back here this instant!"

There was a flurry of heels tapping against the floor before a blur of blonde hair and red silk raced around the corner, skidding to a stop as blue eyes took in the scene before her. The blonde woman rested a hand against the wall beside her, letting out a sigh as she huffed. "I look away for one second and you dash away."

Klaus rose to his full height, his hand brushing the boy's shoulder briefly as he stood, and he looked over at the new arrival, raising a brow as he took in her harried appearance. "I thought you said you were going to keep an eye on him, Rebekah."

The blonde rolled her eyes, throwing her arms out at her sides as she crossed her way towards them, the red silk dress rustling against her legs with every step. "It's not like he ran out into traffic," she said, stopping behind the boy and resting her hands on his shoulders, giving them an affectionate squeeze. "A game of Hide-and-Seek just got a bit out of control. Nothing to throw a complete fit about."

"Except for nearly breaking my leg tripping over one of his toys."

"So he left a bit of them out," Rebekah said. "He's five years old, Nik. Honestly, he doesn't know any better."

"He needs to," Klaus insisted, glancing down at Declan to see his attention riveted on the airplane as he attempted to replace the detached wing. "We're lucky it was me that tripped over it and not some visiting curator. This is a place of business, Bekah, not a playground."

The blonde woman sighed, rolling her eyes. "Well, then, Mr. Grumpypants, we'll be off then." She leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of Declan's head, ruffling his blonde curls as she smirked up at her brother. "Honestly, Deck, your father is a total drama queen."

Klaus rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest.

Declan nodded as his aunt reached down and took his hand in hers, and he lifted his head to look at her. "Can we get ice cream?" he asked quietly, his voice barely creating an echo throughout the room.

"Yes," Rebekah answered as Klaus simultaneously replied, "No." Both siblings glared as they met each other's gazes.

"Well, you're not in charge tonight," Rebekah sang, her lips pulling up into a satisfied smirk. "You are choosing to go out with our good for nothing brothers, which means your son is in my capable hands, and his dietary decisions are all mine to make. Therefore, yes, Declan, we will be getting ice cream, and we will enjoy every delicious moment of it."

Declan smiled as his aunt spoke, his fingers tightening around her hand as he swung his head around to look at his father. His brown eyes gazed up at him, silently asking his father's permission despite his aunt's overruling.

Klaus sighed, smiling down at the boy reluctantly. "Go on then," he relented, shaking his head. "The inevitable sugar rush is on your head, sister, so do keep that in mind when you're loading him full of it."

He watched as the two smiled at each other, Rebekah's blonde hair bouncing against her shoulders as she twirled on her heels, tugging the small boy behind her as they started for the door. "Bye, Daddy," she called over her shoulder, smirking smugly at him.

He rolled his eyes, turning to make his way back over to Dean who had nonchalantly crossed to the other side of the gallery during their family confrontation, but he stopped at the quiet calling of "Daddy," from behind him. He looked over his shoulder, seeing Rebekah holding open the door to the gallery, glancing down at Declan as he stood staring at him, his small fingers tracing the edges of the airplane in his hands.

"I'm sorry about my airplane," he said quietly.

Klaus' eyes softened, a smile tugging at his lips, and he nodded. "It's okay, son," he replied, watching the boy's expression brighten slightly as he spoke. "I'll see you tomorrow."

His son smiled, biting his lower lip as he turned and followed Rebekah out the door, his happy voice declaring his preference of ice cream flavor before the closing of the door cut him off.

Klaus stood staring after them for a long moment, that odd ache in his chest that occurred every time Declan left with someone who wasn't him thrumming deeply, before he shook his head and cleared his throat, turning towards Dean and lifting his chin towards the photographs on display.

"Right then, let's get a move on."

0000000000

Night always seemed to be the hardest.

Thoughts and memories came unbidden when she lied in the darkness. Threats and fights and images of red stained carpet crept into the inner recesses of her mind, making her break into a sweat and panic that the shadows creeping across the room were more than just shadows.

She feared night the most; she feared that in the darkness, that when she would be found.

Bonnie hadn't been exaggerating when she mentioned the odd hours she kept. It had barely been an hour after she'd settled into the apartment before the other girl had hurried out the door, a backpack slung across her shoulder and an apologetic smile on her face as she mentioned heading to the University for some much needed study time.

Caroline had stood in the living room of her new apartment, staring at the traces of a life Bonnie Bennett had spent years living-without fear, without judgement, without worry chasing after her every second. She found herself envious of the young medical student, and overwhelmed with the idea that perhaps this wasn't a life that was out of her reach. Maybe there was a chance she could overcome everything. Just disappear and start anew.

If her money didn't run out first.

After handing Bonnie her half of the rent and deposit, Caroline had been disheartened to see that her funds were running thin.

She supposed that's how she found herself walking down the middle of Bourbon Street, her eyes taking in the never ending flurry of activity that passed her by. Music still poured from the buildings, people still danced in the street. Street performers sang and painted and danced, surrounded by onlookers and enthusiasts.

This really was the city that never slept, she thought to herself.

She followed the winding streets, lost in her own thoughts and memories. It amazed her how uncomfortable she could be in her own skin. How every glance from a passing stranger had her grip tightening around her chest, wondering if the secret she carried with really was a secret. She knew there was no way they could know what she was running from. She knew there was no way they were able to tell her every step was cautious and calculated, weighing every option and movement. There was no way they could tell she running half blind and terrified.

But that still didn't stop the darkness from swallowing her anyway.

Caroline rounded the corner, coming to a stop when a laughing couple poured out the door of a building, arms entangled and hands pulling at jackets and hair, completely oblivious to anything and everything around them but each other. She took a step back as they stumbled towards her, their drunken, whispered declarations ringing much louder than she was sure they meant for them to, bringing a smile to her lips and making her giggle. She shook her head, bringing her eyes back to the establishment they'd come from.

**La Guérison.**

The flashing neon lettering did little to diminish the bar's old time feel. Large towering pillars shadowed the arching doorway, the familiar chorus of a Kings of Leon song pouring from within. Signs in the window boasted their preferred choices of alcohol, and invited patrons in to sample their "World Famous Gumbo." But it was the small, red sign tucked into the furthest corner of the window that caught her eye.

Casting a glance over her shoulder, Caroline drew a breath and stepped over the threshold of the bar, letting her eyes adjust to the brighter lighting and bustling crowd that seemed just as lively as the ones raiding the streets.

Her eyes scoured the room as she slowly meandered her way towards the bar, sliding her jacket off her shoulders and draping it across her arm. There was a small group of college aged people huddled in the far corner, beers in one hand and darts in another as they clamored to take the next shot.

Laughing crowds of people littered the tables, conversations intermixing with the others going on around them, every voice trying to be heard over the music pouring from the speakers hanging from the ceiling. Framed artwork adorned the walls-vibrant oil painting depicting Mardi Gras celebrations and vivid sunsets.

She reached the bar, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched the blonde bartender work furiously behind the counter, her hands passing out drinks and receipts faster than she could keep track of. Her hair flew around her shoulders with every twist and turn, her smile unfleeting as she wished every patron a good night, stuffing crinkled bills into the apron pocket on her waist.

Caroline offered her a smile when she turned in her direction, and she slid onto a stool, flattening her hands against the bar top. As the bartender made the short distance to her end of the bar, her eyes caught sight of the name tag pinned to her breast. "Camille?"

The bartender laughed, glancing at her nametag before raising her head and offering her a smile in return. "It's Cami, please. Camille is a bit too Grandma a name for my taste. I hope you're not here for the gumbo, because I'm about to break your heart. We just ran out."

Caroline shook her head. "No, actually, I'm Caroline, I'm here about the...sign in the window. The one asking for help?"

"Oh, great," Cami smiled, her gaze automatically traveling to the sign in question before returning to her, her head tilting to the sign as she regarded her. "Do you have much bartending experience? As you can see, it gets pretty crazy in here sometimes."

"Well, I haven't bartended, but I worked as a waitress during the summer at the restaurant in my hometown."

Cami nodded, cocking her jaw slightly as her eyes raked her over, and Caroline could feel her heart sink in her chest. She opened her mouth to elaborate more on her limited past experience, but stopped short when a tall figure shuffled up to the bar next to her, smacking down a $20 bill and smirking up at Cami, his legs crossing at the ankles behind him.

"Another round please, Cami-cakes, if you'd be so kind."

Caroline looked over when the accented voice crooned, taking in the young, rakish man that stood next to her. His handsome face was alight with amusement as he grinned, dark brown eyes dancing with mirth and, she was sure, intoxication. Dark hair lay tousled atop his head, nearly matching the shade of his eyes. His broad shoulders were clothed in a tight fitting deep blue button up, the first few buttons undone, revealing his smooth, unblemished collarbone.

Cami was smiling at him, rolling her eyes as she swiped the bill from beneath his palm, turning towards the numerous bottles that lined the shelves behind her. She was still shaking her head when she placed four shot glasses on the bar in front of him, filling them with an amber liquid that even looked like it would burn with every swallow. "What do you think, Kol?"

The man in question-Kol-raised his brows in question.

She nodded her head in Caroline's direction. "She's here about the 'Help Wanted' sign. Think she can hack it?"

Caroline tried not to bristle as Kol's gaze turned onto her, his dark eyes raking themselves up and down her form as the smirk on his widened. He shrugged, making a tsking sound with his tongue. "I don't know," he murmured, raising his eyes to stare intently into Caroline's. "She looks like a tasty little thing." He shook his head. " I'm honestly not sure you'd last a night with these riff raff."

Caroline squared her shoulders, narrowing her eyes at him as she crossed her arms against the counter's edge. "I'm tougher than I look."

Kol laughed, shaking his head. "Oh, I've no doubt about that, darling. There's a fire in your eyes, that's for sure." He turned when Cami slid the four shot glasses towards him, lifting his brows and jerking his head in the younger blonde's direction. "I'd give her a shot. It's about time we had some fresh blood around here." He easily scooped the glasses up with both hands, not a single drop of the amber liquid sloshing over the sides, and sent Caroline a wink. "Hope to see you again, love."

Cami laughed. "And if you hope to keep that manhood between your legs, I'd dial down the flirt before your little miss catches wind of it and you're in a world of pain."

Kol clicked his tongue, turning and headed into the crowd of people scattered throughout the bar. "So mean, Cami-cakes. Whatever did I do to you..."

Caroline watched as he sauntered back to a table in the far corner where three other men sat, a chorus of cheers greeting him when he carefully slid the glasses of alcohol into the center of the table. Her eyes followed their movements as each of them reached for one, the quartet clinking their glasses high in the air before tossing them back, a wince going through her as she watched each of their faces crinkle up the slightest bit with the after taste.

She couldn't help but take them all in. They had an almost familial repertoire, with the way they laughed and joked. Two of them were just as dark and handsome as Kol had been, though both slightly older, she would assume. They both sat straight and tall, as if accustomed to always making a good impression. Something about good stature and observant eyes echoed in the back of her head, some saying or limerick one of her grade school teachers had said once or twice.

It was the fourth member of their party, though, that caught her attention. Tall and broad shouldered, with a mess of thick blonde curls, and a set of devastatingly perfect dimples as he smiled. There was something innocent about his smile, which was a sharp contrast to the rugged handsomeness of his face. The entire structure of his face was strong-from his cheekbones to his stubble covered jaw-every inch radiating a strength she could hardly fathom. But his smile...there was something almost vulnerable in the way he smiled. Like it was the one thing life hadn't managed to touch just yet.

Her eyes slowly raked across him, her breath nearly catching in her throat when she raised her gaze and was instantly struck with the intensity of his own. Piercing blue eyes were looking back her, their stormy depths visible even from the distance between them, and she nearly shuddered with their sheer intensity.

His smile was still on his face, though it had faded into a smirk. Strong, lean forearms rested against the tabletop, his hands wrapped around the shot glass, fingers tapping an unsteady rhythm against it. His eyes were still on hers; looking, searching, piercing...she had no idea anymore, just that they were almost pulling her in.

She jumped when something plopped onto the counter in front of her, and she whirled around to see Cami smiling at her, her hands resting on top of a pile of burgundy fabric-an apron.

"Well, if Kol says to give you a chance, there's no way I can say no," Cami told her. "He's the toughest critic we have around here. And you basically just got his stamp of approval. So when can you start?"

Caroline smiled, a wash of relief flowing through her. "As soon as you need me."

She listened as Cami prattled on about opening times, and hours, saying they could work out all the kinks of her schedule tomorrow when she started, and Caroline could feel her eyes start to drift back to the table in the far corner. The shuddering in her spine was back when she saw that the blonde man's eyes were still on her, a look of almost contemplation and intrigue on his face.

Cami noticed the younger blonde's distraction, and she followed her line of sight, smiling knowingly when she saw the object of her gaze. "Careful with that one," she warned quietly, leaning over the counter so their faces were side by side. She lifted her brows when Caroline looked back to her, confusion on her face. "He's a heartbreak waiting to happen."

Caroline frowned, watching Cami give her a sad smile as she settled back on her heels, wishing her a good night and welcome to the team before she turned to greet a newly arrived customer. There was a sense of unease about her now- "a heartbreak waiting to happen." She had absolutely no intention of her heart getting involved in anything. She'd gone that route before, and it was how she ended up in this mess in the first place.

No, Caroline had learned her lesson.

But as she slid her newly appointed apron into her arms and slid off her bar stool, she cast one more glance at the man across the room, a slight stab of disappointment cutting through her when she saw him now engaged in conversation with Kol, their heads pushed close together to hear one another over the clamor of activity around them.

Across the room, Klaus' gaze lifted to the bar once more in time to see the unfamiliar woman making her way out the door, blonde curls bouncing around her shoulders and a natural sway to her hips that nearly had him gasping.

He'd been caught off guard when he'd glanced up and saw her standing with Kol and Cami. He was used to seeing unfamiliar faces when he frequented the pub-New Orleans was a popular tourist attraction after all-but there had been something different about her.

She was radiant. Stunning. Enough to make him pause and just stare, memorizing every aspect about her that he could.

When their eyes had met, he had felt a shock clear down to his toes. As if some bolt of energy had electrified every inch of him that had laid dormant for longer than he cared to admit. There was so much in her gaze in those few seconds-questions and shadows, things he'd never noticed in anyone else, but were all but visible in her.

He was captivated.

"Who was that you were speaking to at the bar?" he asked, leaning towards Kol, his eyes still fixed on the blonde's retreating figure.

Kol frowned, turning his head before catching sight of her. He shrugged as he turned back to him, lifting his bottle of beer to his lips. "She was asking Cami about a job. Didn't catch a name, but she certainly was a lovely sight to behold." He grinned when he heard his brother nearly growl in his throat, and he laughed when he saw the way he was glaring at him with narrowed eyes. "Why, Nik, has some lovely lass finally caught your eye after all these years? I must say, I'm relieved. People were beginning to talk, and the last thing I need is for your questionable reputation to tarnish my own."

Klaus rolled his eyes, sinking back into his chair with a deep sigh as he stared at the now empty door, his fingers tapping against the table top. He ignored his brother as he continued to ramble on, trying to get a rise out of him again, but his thoughts were solely on the blonde beauty with the mesmerizing gaze, and the nagging question in the back of his mind of when-not if-he would see her again.

**00000000**

**So, for those of you wondering, this story was inspired by the book Safe Haven and the movie Sleeping With the Enemy. Having Klaus have a son was a very spur of the moment decision, and while I know a lot of people aren't fond of the fic!Klaus father storyline, I hope no one completely abandons this fic for that small fact alone.**

**So, there has been contact. Perhaps not direct contact, but let's all be honest-we live for that Klaroline eyesex.**

**Don't hesitate to sound of in the reviews. Lord knows I love them more than I love peanut butter-and I luuuuuurve me some peanut butter.**

**Also, if anyone is interested, Becky and I have a started a Klaroline drabbles series. So if that interests you at all, feel free to check it out over on our pen name: alittleblondeepiclove.**

**Follow me on Tumblr: klarolineepiclove**


	3. Chapter 3

**Fallen**

**Chapter Three**

**A.N. Thank you to everyone who left me reviews and messages, and favorite and followed. All of your kind words and encouragement over this story is the reason it's continuing. You guys are the shiznet. Basically. You guys are awesome.**

**Read and enjoy, and I shall catch you guys at the bottom!**

**00000000**

_Everything around her was deafening. _

_The lights were brighter, the voices louder, the footsteps thundering. Everything was heightened, and she struggled to stabilize her frantic breathing as she weaved her way through the crowded terminal of the bus station. _

_It felt like every pair of eyes followed her every step. Every shoulder she brushed turned towards her, every muffled apology held a hidden meaning. _

_Her heart was thundering in her ears as she clenched the ticket in her hand, her eyes darting to every flashing destination sign. Her chest tightened with every exit she passed. Should she have chosen that one? Was that one even far enough? Was there even a distance far enough away she could run?_

_Was there a place she could go where she wouldn't be found?_

_Footsteps thundered behind her, and fear clenched her heart tightly as they hurried towards her. Her pace quickened, the thin piece of paper crinkling in her hand. She kept her head down, the stolen ball cap tilted low on her head. She started to run faster, colliding unapologetically with stranger after stranger, barely uttering a word, and the footsteps behind her followed suit, thundering against the tiled floor. _

_She ran, racing towards the exit just ahead of her. Her chest heaving from her panicked breaths, her palms sweaty and hands shaking, she dove for the door, her hands slapping against it as she heard the muttered curse behind her, and she shoved it open, fleeing out into the pouring rain._

_And just as the door slammed shut behind her, she heard it: the deep, cracking yell of the voice that would forever chase her, screaming her name._

_00000000_

Caroline awoke with a start, a gasp catching in her throat as her eyes searched her darkened surroundings frantically. The moonlight slicing through the blinds of her window cast distorted shadows across the ceiling, and her heart thundered in her ribcage as she focused on the ebb and wane of the shadows. Her ironclad grip on her bed sheets loosened, a sigh escaping her lips as she ran a hand down her tired face.

She wondered if she would always live with this-this fear. Crippling, mind numbing, incapacitating fear. It stole her breath and left her shaking, and above all it was exhausting.

The floorboards outside her bedroom door squeaked under the weight of someone's footsteps, and she froze. The footsteps were heavy, much heavier than Bonnie, who she'd noticed tended to walk on the balls of her feet in the middle of the night to keep from disturbing her. They weren't cautious or hesitant-they moved with a purpose. And they lingered outside her bedroom door for the briefest of moments before they moved on, further into the apartment, and Caroline felt the fear grasp her heart.

Her racing pulse thundered in her ears as she threw back the covers, sliding her legs over the side of the bed and onto the floor as quietly as she could. Her eyes stayed riveted on her closed bedroom door, her toes flexing against the floor beneath her feet. Her ears listened, catching the slight sounds of movement coming from down the hall.

Pushing herself up off the mattress, Caroline crouched down, reaching her hand under the frame of her bed and quietly sliding the aluminum bat she'd found stored in her closet when she was moving in. It had been tucked into a back corner, solitary and gathering dust. She had meant to ask Bonnie about it-because for some reason, the pretty medical student didn't strike her as the type of person who frequented batting cages or pitching mounds-but the thought had slipped her mind. She'd stashed it under her bed her first night here.

Better safe than sorry, she'd figured.

Fear was flooding her veins as she wrapped her hands around the handle, her fingers tracing the layers of tape that had been carefully wrapped around it. She crept to the door silently, her feet moving slowly and quietly, and reached for the doorknob, eyes closing as she took a deep breath, steeling herself, and slowly twisted the golden knob under her grasp.

The hallway was dark and silent, the only sound she could make out the soft whirring of the ceiling fan as it rotated above the living room. Casting a quick glance down the hallway and seeing the door to Bonnie's bedroom shut tightly, she made her way down the hall, the bat held tightly in her grasp as her steps carried her further down the narrow passage.

The sound of glass clinking against glass sounded from the kitchen, and she hesitated, eyes struggling to focus in the darkness of the apartment. She stayed close to the wall as she moved, her head cautiously peering around the corner.

The living room was empty, the jacket she wore earlier in the day still strewn haphazardly across the back of the sofa. Bonnie's textbooks and notepads were strewn across the coffee table, a mug of what she was sure at this point was ice cold coffee sitting next to them.

Her eyes scoured the room, noting the closed windows and the still latched front door, before they flicked towards the kitchen, and she could feel her breath start to come in panicked gasps as she saw the faint light from the refrigerator illuminating what was clearly the form of a man.

Caroline stood, frozen, her mind trying to work how quickly she could get to the door before the man in the kitchen spotted her. Did she run? Remembering that Bonnie could very well be sleeping a few short feet behind her had her hesitating. Could she just leave, leaving the friendly girl who'd taken her in without any hesitation to fend for herself against whoever was lurking in front of her?

Every instinct in her was telling her to run, to drop everything and escape while she still had the chance, but she pushed them back, breathing deep and making her way towards the dim light and the figure awashed in it. Every step caused her heart to thunder that much louder, her palms slick against the worn handle in her hands. She crept forward on the tips of her toes, silently, slowly, holding her breath so as not to make the man peering into the fridge aware of her.

He had his back to her, bent down, reaching for something in the back of the unit. She quickly took account of him-tall, broad shouldered, with arms that seemed to nearly bulge with muscle-muscle she knew from experience could cause more damage than one would think.

She stepped forward, the floorboard squeaking beneath her foot suddenly, and her eyes widened at the same time the man before her stood to his full height, his broad form beginning to turn to face her, and she reacted, bringing the bat around with all her might, teeth gritted and eyes clenched shut.

She let out a grunt of frustration when, instead of the satisfying crunch of metal meeting flesh she had hoped to hear, instead heard the cling of the aluminumn as the man easily caught it in his hand, the door to the fridge slamming shut with a crack as he braced himself against it, easily pulling the bat from her hands.

"Bloody hell, woman, are you mad?" a deep voice demanded angrily, and Caroline stumbled back, her arms reaching out for the light switch against the wall, eyes blinking when they sprang to life. Her blonde hair whipped around her face as she spun around to face her assailant, and her brow crinkled as a frown formed on her face when her eyes flashed in recognition.

She knew him.

Tousled dark hair, piercing brown eyes, and despite the fact that his mouth was turned down in a grimace, she easily recalled the cocky smirk that was on his young face the first time she'd seen him. Flirting with Cami at the bar a few nights ago.

She could see his eyes coming to the same conclusion as a door down the hall opened, and footsteps hurried down the hall. "Kol?" Bonnie's voice drifted to them as she rounded the corner, her hands quickly tying a knot in the belt of her yellow robe, brows furrowing when she saw the two of them standing there. "Caroline, are you okay? What's going on?"

Caroline faltered, her gaze whipping between her roommate and the man from the bar, finally letting her gaze take in his rumpled attire-black boxer shorts and an off white wifebeater, his feet bare and his dark hair a mess atop his head as if he'd just woken from a nap. "I, um..." She ran a hand through her hair, turning her gaze back to Bonnie. "I thought someone was breaking in."

"To look in the ice box?" Kol asked incredulously, twirling the bat in his hand before letting it hang at his side.

Caroline shrugged helplessly as Bonnie came further into the room, the long braid over her shoulder swaying as she pointed a finger at Kol. "Would you put that down? You're just scaring everyone."

Kol's mouth dropped open, his arms flying out to his sides as he pointed the bat in Caroline's direction. "Me? She's the one that came swinging at my head with it!" Bonnie only glared at him meaningfully, and he sighed in exasperation, turning and laying the bat across the kitchen table before turning back to them, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm really sorry," Caroline said, shaking her head. "I heard a noise, and I got freaked out and I just...overreacted." She covered her face with her hands, suddenly mortified at how her own paranoia had gotten the better of her, and sighed.

"No, Caroline, it's as much my fault as yours," Bonnie said. "Kol's my boyfriend, and he sometimes stays over. I was going to tell you last night, but by the time we got in, you were already in bed. And I'm pretty sure I told _him_," she sent Kol an irritated glare. "To not cause any unnecessary freakouts by wandering the halls."

Behind them, Kol snorted, grinning. "A man has certain cravings that even a being as lovely as you can't quench, darling." He shrugged when Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Pardon me for having an appetite for scrambled eggs." He turned to Caroline, smiling as he tipped his head in acknowledgement. "You know, love, if you'd wanted my attention, you didn't have to go to such drastic measures. You could have just asked for it the other night."

From the corner of her eyes, Caroline could see Bonnie frown, crossing her arms over her chest as she shifted her weight on her feet, and she started to shake her head, wanting to quell whatever doubt was in the young woman's mind, but Kol's sudden chuckle cut her off.

"Did I not mention Caroline and I had a little run in the other night? I didn't know at the time she was your new roommate, love, or I'd have stopped at the third tequila shot and skipped the back alley romp."

And just like that, the fear that had gripped Caroline moments before was back, but this time in a different capacity as she realized how damning Kol's falsified statement could be.

Bonnie didn't know her. They'd barely been living together a week, and now here they stood, with her obviously serious boyfriend making lewd jokes and stories, and what if Bonnie took it to heart? She'd be out on the street again, bouncing from alley to alley, nook to nook. What were her odds of finding an arrangement like this again? She wanted nothing more than to smack that cocky grin off Kol's face with her back of her hand-

But Bonnie's very unladylike snort had her fear dissipating.

Bonnie was shaking her head, laughing as she crossed the short distance to Kol's side. "Like you could make it to a third tequila shot," she said, reaching out quickly and flicking the side of Kol's head with her fingers, shoving him slightly when he ducked his head against her assault. "Don't tell me you were being a pompous ass again. I've told you it's not as attractive as you think it is."

Kol grinned, backing away from her. "Not what you were saying earlier, darling." He dodged her advance this time, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "I ran into Caroline down at La Guérison the other night. I believe she was inquiring about a job from Cami, and I'll have you know I was an utmost gentleman, wasn't I, Caroline?"

Caroline scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "If you discount the whole 'tasty little thing' comment, I guess."

The rakish man gasped, his eyes widening. "Well, we have another little Benedict Arnold here. You and Cami will hit it off just fine then." He looked back at Bonnie, smirking at her, offering a simple shrug. "You know me. I meet someone new, I have to welcome them to New Orleans properly."

Bonnie rolled her eyes, her head falling back in exasperation before turning to smile apologetically at Caroline. "I'm sorry. If he ever decides to 'welcome' you again, feel free to use the bat."

Caroline laughed, catching the scowl on Kol's face, and couldn't help the small smile that spread across her own.

"Anyway," Bonnie continued. "It's late. We should all get back to bed. And I'm sorry again, Caroline. I promise, I'll give you a heads up next time Kol's over." She smiled, turning to the man at her side and taking ahold of his arm, pulling him to follow her steps. "Goodnight, Caroline."

Caroline nodded, watching them head back down the hallway, her smile growing as she heard Kol grumble, "What about my eggs?"

"Kol, it's nearly three in the morning, you don't need eggs," Bonnie protested. He was still groaning when the door to her bedroom shut quietly, and Caroline couldn't help but giggle at their display, running a hand through her hair as she turned on her heel, switching the light off before turning to head back to her own room.

She hesitated for a moment, glancing back into the kitchen, and swiftly made her way over to the table, sliding the aluminum bat into her hand to return it to its place just under her bed.

0000000000

Caroline sighed as she pushed open the door to La Guérison the next afternoon, pulling her hair up into a loose ponytail at the top of her head before smoothing out the invisible wrinkles of her apron.

After her midnight run-in with Kol early that morning, she'd managed to somehow fall asleep within minutes of her head hitting her pillow, and she'd awoken hours later to the delicious smell of freshly brewed coffee.

She'd stumbled into the kitchen to see Bonnie setting a place for her at the table, and Kol sitting on the kitchen counter, a full plate of-surprise surprise!-scrambled eggs in his hand, his face smirking at her happily as he loaded a fork full and ungraciously shoved it in his mouth. Bonnie had barked at him about bad table manners before turning to wish her a good morning, and Caroline had been so amused with the sight she'd laughed harder than she had in longer than she could remember.

As she rounded the bar, she spotted Cami coming from the stockroom, her arms laden with crates of various bottles of alcohol, and she hurried over to her. "Do you want some help with that?"

Cami smiled at her, shaking her head as she slammed the crates down onto the counter, swiping at her blonde hair as it fell in her face. "Naw, I've got it. There's another crate or two I need to lug out here, but could you do a quick inventory? Start of the weekend, those booze hounds will be howling. The last thing we need is a riot on our hands because we ran out of Jack Daniels or Amaretto Sours."

Caroline chuckled and nodded, turning towards the shelves of multicolored bottles of liquor and drink mixes, when a brief movement from across the room caught her eye. She turned, frowning when she spotted the young boy sitting in the back corner booth, his knees propped up on the seat as he bent over the table. A box of crayons were scattered around him, one clenched in his hand as he concentrated on the paper in front of him, his brow furrowed as he slowly moved the crayon back and forth.

"Did we open a daycare that you forgot to mention?" she asked Cami when the blonde returned to the counter.

Cami glanced over at the boy in question, a fond smile appearing on her face. "That's Declan. He's the son of one of the regulars. His babysitter canceled last minute, and he needed someone to keep an eye on him until his dad can come pick him up." She shifted the numerous crates that now littered the bar top. "I've known the family for awhile, so anytime something like this comes up, I say to just bring him over. He's a good kid. Quiet, stays out of trouble. And he's always picked up before we really open, so I don't need to worry about all those judgmental gossipers going on about the bar that lets children frequent too."

Caroline nodded as Cami smiled at her before disappearing into the store room again, and she looked over her shoulder once more at the still coloring child before turning back to her project at hand. She spent the next several minutes getting lost in the array of labels-in the sea of scotches, wines, and brandies-checking and doublechecking that every number on her list matched up to what was on the shelf, when she heard the soft voice behind her break through her concentration.

"Hi."

She looked up, her eyes moving across the room until they landed on the young boy, and she smiled, pressing her clipboard to her chest. "Hi."

Declan still sat on his knees, his upper body nearly laying across the table as he perched himself up on his elbows, a bright blue crayon being shifted from hand to hand as his eyes fixed on her. "Who are you?" he asked, tilting his head as he regarded her carefully.

"I'm Caroline," she replied, turning around to face him fully as she motioned towards the stock room with her uncapped pen. "I work with Cami. She said you're Declan?"

He nodded. "Declan Oliver Mikaelson."

"Well, Declan, it's very nice to meet you," she smiled, watching as he nodded again before turning back down to look at her inventory sheet.

Only a few seconds passed before Declan's voice pierced the silence again. "How old are you?"

She raised her head with a smile, narrowing her eyes at him playfully and tsking under her breath. "Hasn't anyone ever told you it's rude to ask a girl her age?" she laughed.

"My Auntie Bekah tells me that sometimes," Declan replied. "She says I shouldn't ever ask Aunt Katherine that, because the throbbing vein in her forehead might explode, and that just causes a mess for everyone." His lips twitched up into a half smile when she laughed. "I'm five," he said, pushing himself further onto the table with his elbows. "I'll be six next year." And before she could even form a reply, his head was popping up, eyebrows raising on his small head. "Do you like sloths?"

Caroline could feel herself grinning wide as made her way around the bar, setting her clipboard and long forgotten inventory to the side and crossing her arms over her chest. She walked towards his table, pursing her lips as she shrugged. "Sloths? I guess so, yeah. I'm not real familiar with them, but I don't dislike them."

Declan sat up as she approached, his brown eyes wide and alit with what she assumed was excitement. "Did you know that sloths can rotate their heads almost 90 degrees?" he asked matter of factly, as if reciting from a National Geographic catologue. He was gazing up at her, a mess of blonde curls and childish ambition, his fingers curling and uncurling around the crayon in his hand. "And they have really sharp claws to protect themselves against other animals, but a lot of the time, they don't even need them, because since they're so slow and their fur acts like camouflage, they're hard to see."

Caroline nodded, slipping into the booth next to him, and he scooted across the vinyl on his knees to make more room for her. "I didn't know that," she said, her lips pulling up into a smile when his own greeted her. "Why does their fur act like camouflage?"

"Because they're so slow," Declan replied without missing a beat. "Algae and moss and stuff gets into their fur, because they move so slow, and it helps them blend into the trees better. That's where they live, mostly. In the trees. They don't move on the ground really well, because their claws are so long, and they're so slow, so it makes it easier for bigger animals to catch them." He looked up at her again, tilting his head. "You never told me how old you are."

Caroline giggled, settling back against the vinyl booth. "I'm 24," she answered. "How come you know so much about sloths?"

He shrugged, looking down at this half drawn picture that still rested under his elbows. "I just think they're cool. They always look happy, even though they're not really smiling. That's just the way their mouths look. But it's fun to look at pictures of them. I've never seen one up close, though. Have you?" he asked, peering up at her again.

She shook her head. "I haven't. But I do like that they look like they're smiling all the time. It makes me smile too."

Declan's own smile appeared again. "Me, too."

Caroline laughed again, shaking her head slightly as she tapped her fingers against the grained table top. She'd always liked children. She had babysat throughout her entire teenage years, and she would bet money that she often enjoyed her time with the children more than their parents enjoyed their time away from them. They always held such an innocence about them-never questioning or weighing the pros and cons of their actions. They often leapt into things without thinking, and she'd always been so envious of their spontaneity and ability to persevere through anything. They were carefree, without a worry in the world.

She was more envious of that trait now more than ever.

"I'm sorry, he's not bothering you, is he?"

Caroline jumped at the deep, accented voice, and she silently cursed herself for being caught so off guard that she hadn't heard the man she assumed was Declan's father come up behind her. She shifted, craning her neck to look around the back of the booth, and she could feel her heart nearly stall in her chest when her eyes met the very gaze that had riveted her so the first time she'd walked into the bar.

Declan's father was striking. Odd that that was the first word that popped into her mind as she turned to face him. He was tall, almost impossibly so from her lowered vantage point in the sinking cushions of the booth. He towered over her, a crisp white button up shirt stretched across his broad shoulders, the edges tucked neatly into the waistband of his black tailored trousers. His piercing blue eyes were gazing down at her, the blonde curls that were so unruly -something his son had obviously inherited from him-the first time she'd seen him now coifed and neatly slicked back. A hint of stubble framed his strong jaw, and his lips were upturned in a smile that nearly stole her breath.

"Hi, Daddy," Declan said next to her, breaking her from her trance and making her shake her thoughts free. She let out a breath, smiling up at the beguiling man next to her, and shook her head.

"No, he's not bothering me at all."

The blonde man nodded, his lips parting slightly, and Caroline couldn't help but follow the movement with her eyes, her gaze dropping, and by the way his smile seemed to widen the slightest bit, she wondered if her action hadn't gone unnoticed by him. A faint blush covered her cheeks, her face burning as she tore her gaze away to meet his eyes again.

"I was telling Caroline about sloths," Declan chimed in next to her, slowly sliding his legs one by one down the cushioned bench until they dangled over its edge.

His father nodded, a soft murmur of understanding passing his lips. "Ah, the sloths," he said, smiling. "Yes, we're quite fascinated by them at the moment."

Caroline nodded, laughing softly. "Yeah, I kind of noticed," she said, looking back down at Declan and winking, giving him a smile. "It's no trouble though. I feel very enlightened." She looked back at his father, her eyes catching his of their own accord, and she tried to push down the strange fluttering she felt in her chest she felt as his cerulean gaze locked with hers. "You, um, you have quite the little fact wiz here."

"Thank you," he said, his lips quirking up into a smirk as he shifted slightly on his feet. "You're a new face around here. Caroline, is it?" She nodded as his eyes looked her over, zeroing in on the burgundy apron cinched tightly around her waist, smirk growing. "Well, I must say, it's quite a relief knowing that you actually work here, and aren't just some strange person that sits around bars talking to children."

She laughed. "Yeah, you lucked out this time."

His laugh mingled with her own, and he outstretched his hand. On instinct, she slipped her own hand into his, her fingers closing around his palm. She tried not to notice how rough and calloused his fingers were as they shook hands, or how his grip seemed to tighten when her eyes slid up to his. "Klaus Mikaelson," he said, his voice low and rumbling.

"_Niklaus _Mikealson," Declan corrected from his seat, his feet swinging under him, thumping against the back of the booth as he concentrated once more on the drawing that lay on the table.

Klaus rolled his eyes, his smirk spreading to a smile when Caroline laughed softly. "Call me Klaus."

The door to the stockroom swung open then, and they both turned at the sudden intrusion, Caroline slipping her hand from his and settling it in her lap. Cami smiled at them as she set another crate of alcohol on the counter. "It's about time you got here, Klaus," she said, wiping her hands against the apron around her waist. "That kid of yours has been a major handful. Just sitting there, being quiet and coloring, munching on graham crackers. I could barely hear myself think."

"Well, he's living up to the Mikaelson name, then. I was just welcoming your newest employee to La Guérison."

"Well, that's nice of you, but I'm afraid your brother beat you to it when she came in and applied the other day," Cami said, leaning against the counter on her elbows. "Kol made quite the impression. I'm honestly amazed she even still wanted to work here after he was done."

The camaraderie she'd witnessed at their table the other night suddenly made sense with the revelation, and Caroline realized that she hadn't caught Kol's last name this morning. Looking over at Klaus now, she noted the subtle similarities between the two. The same impish smirk, the same confident stride and stance. But while Kol entire persona seemed to radiate a boyishness appeal, Klaus' was much more subdued and mature. She doubted there was a substantial age difference between the two-she would wager only a few years-but just from the way his eyes seemed to be shadowed and conflicted, she knew that clearly the older brother had experienced more.

"So you've met my brother," Klaus said, turning to her again. "You have my sincerest apologies."

Caroline stared at him for a long moment, her eyes darting quickly from Klaus to Cami, the latter of which was shaking her head and laughing quietly. There was a teasing edge to Klaus' voice, despite the seriousness of his face. Her gaze traveled back to him, seeing his lips pressed into a smile, eyebrows raised, and she smiled, a small, shaken laugh escaping her lips. She could feel her face heat under their stares, and she lifted a hand to the back of her head, threading her fingers through her ponytail as she dropped her gaze to the table.

"Well," she heard Klaus say. "As always, Camille, I am in your debt."

Cami waved a hand in the air, shaking her head. "Eh, you'll pay me back one day. Maybe you could start by getting that hard headed best friend of yours to actually admit we're dating instead of just, you know, hanging out or whatever other non-committing term he's labeled us this week."

"I pride myself on being a man of many talents, but that, sweetheart, is a bit out of my element," he chuckled, turning back to the booth and holding a hand out to Declan. "It's time to go, Declan. Do you have everything?"

Caroline lifted her gaze to peer over at the young boy. He was nodding absentmindedly, his tongue poking out from between his lips as he concentrated on scribbling something in the bottom corner of his picture. She couldn't help but smile fondly at the sight.

"Deck, let's go, son. Aunt Bekah is expecting us, and you know she doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Declan nodded again, sliding across the vinyl seating until his plopped down onto the floor, pulling his small red and black backpack with him as he settled on his feet.

Caroline smiled at him as he reached across the table and took a hold of the picture he'd been working tirelessly on for the last several minutes, before walking the short distance to her end of the booth and holding it out to her. Her eyes widened in surprise, her white teeth flashing as her smile grew, and she took it gently in her hands. "Is this for me?" she asked, looking down at the blotches of color-greens and red and blues, a myriad of patterns and designs.

The tow headed boy nodded, pulling his arms through the straps of his backpack.

"Thank you, Declan. I'll make sure to hang it somewhere I'll see it everyday, okay?"

A small appreciative smile appeared on his face at her words, and her heart melted. It never failed to amaze her at how small and simple a gesture could mean so much to someone as young as him. She glanced back up at Klaus, once again noting his gaze fixed solely on her and his son, an almost indiscernible glint to his eyes.

"Bye, Caroline," Declan said, turning and immediately reaching for his father's hand. "Bye, Cami," he said as he led his father towards the door. "Thank you for letting me stay with you."

"Anytime, kid," Cami replied, smiling as she wrapped her hand around the neck of a bottle of whiskey.

Klaus nodded his thanks to the blonde bartender again before glancing back at Caroline. His blue eyes pierced her own once more, his lips pulling up into a smile, bringing forth a pair of identical dimples in his cheeks. "Caroline, it was a pleasure," he said, quiet yet strong. "Hopefully our paths cross again."

She nodded, ducking her head, that damn fluttering in her chest catching her off guard once more as she smiled softly. She swiped at a nonexistent strand of hair against her cheek, biting the inside of her cheek as she slowly raised her eyes again. He was still looking at her, the same smile on his face, before he turned away, pulling Declan an inch closer to him as they finally reached the door.

She sighed as they disapperead through it, only tearing her gaze away when she heard Cami laugh quietly across the room. She looked at her, curious, and lifted her brows in question.

Cami grinned, placing a hand over her chest and tossing her head back, her voice lowering as she playfully mocked, "'Hopefully our paths cross again, Caroline.'"

Her British accent was exaggerated, drawing out the end of Caroline's name playfully, and the younger blonde couldn't help but laugh, folding the picture Declan had given her carefully and sliding it into the front pocket of her apron as she rose to her feet. "I'm sure he was just being nice."

"Oh, please, Caroline," Cami laughed, shaking her head. "The Mikaelsons do not do nice. Klaus least of all. He is the epitome of 'tortured artist,' and to be brutally honest, if I didn't know he loved his son and his siblings, you really wouldn't even be able to tell the man had emotions at all. He is like a locked vault that no one has the key to." She smiled. "Not that I don't love him. Like I said, I've known the family for years. But these last few seconds were the most animated I'd seen the guy over something that wasn't the newest art find or his family. You, Caroline Forbes, certainly piqued his interest."

Caroline rolled her eyes, crossing over the bar and slipping her clipboard back into her grasp. "Any chance you've been sampling some of the booze in the back room, Camille?"

"Fine, fine. Brush it all off. You'll see." She smiled at her, reaching into the crate and pulling out a bottle of scotch and a bottle of whiskey before turning towards the already lined shelves behind her, her smile teasing as she looked at her from over her shoulder. "You might be just what old Niklaus Mikaelson needs."

Caroline worried her lower lip as the older blonde turned away to focus on her task, her gaze moving to the long closed door to the bar as she wrapped her fingers around her pen.

She wasn't "just what he needed." She wasn't just what anyone needed.

The last thing Klaus Mikaelson needed was to tangled up with her. Not with what she was running from. Not with the secrets she so desperately needed to keep. Not when she honestly had no idea where she would be a week from now.

The last thing either of them needed was each other.

000000000

Caroline glanced down the hallway furtively, her hand wrapping tightly around the handset of the payphone that hung by the fire exit. She shifted from foot to foot as the ringing sounded in her ear, stuffing her free hand into the pocket of her apron.

The bar was in full swing, music and laughter trickling towards her from the other end of the hallway. The clink of glasses on trays and tables resounded around her, and she knew she only had a few minutes left of her supposed bathroom break before she'd have to go and rescue Cami from an onslaught of patrons.

But she'd promised him she'd let him know somehow.

She whipped around when there was a click on the other end of the line, a fast beat rock song playing faintly in the background, and she felt the sting of tears when the familiar voice spoke loudly over it.

"Mystic Grill."

She smiled, leaning against the wall beside her as she pressed the phone closer to her ear. How she'd missed his voice...

"Hello?"

She sighed shakily. "Matt, it's me."

There was a pause on the other line, followed by a faint shuffling of footsteps, and then the background music faded away, the click of a door shutting cutting the song off mid chorus.

"Caroline," the man on the other end spoke, relief flooding his voice before his tone turned worrisome. "Are you crazy? You shouldn't be calling me on the phone. Especially not here. Anybody could have answered."

"I know..." She sighed again. "I know, I just...I needed to hear your voice."

She could hear the creaking of a chair as Matt settled himself into one, and she closed her eyes as she tried to picture him in the back office of the Mystic Grill, running a hand through his short cropped hair and down his face, if the sigh that escaped him was any indication. It had been an action that was associated with her far too often as they grew up.

Matt was always cleaning up her messes, even then.

"Are you okay?" he finally asked.

"Yeah," she replied softly, leaning her head back against the wall and staring at the paneled ceiling above her. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm safe...somewhere safe, for now. Far away, surrounded by noise and crowds. Somewhere where no one would think to look for me. Just like you suggested."

"Don't tell me," he said softly. "It's better I don't know right now. You know, in case..."

She nodded, even though he couldn't see her, wanting nothing more than to tell him exactly where she was, what she was doing. She wasn't used to keeping things from him, even if it was in their best interest.

Matt was her stable ground. He was her sanity in a sea of insanity.

Not having him there to hold her hand and talk her through the panic was harder than she ever thought it would be.

Her chest tightened as she listened to Matt sigh quietly on the other line, and closed her eyes, her head shifting against the wall as her fingers tangled themselves in the cord to the payphone. She tried not to think about how this was how it was going to be from now on. There would be no more late night ice cream ventures with Matt. They wouldn't catch a drink together on the weekend, or go to an all night showing of Lord of the Rings. They wouldn't be Matt and Caroline again.

They'd have stolen phone calls and encrypted messages. They had to be strangers now.

And the realization was tearing her apart more than anything ever had.

"Look," she said softly, lifting a hand to quickly swipe at the tears she could feel making their way down her cheeks. "I just..I needed you to know that I'm okay. I'm settling. And I'm working through it. And I'm...starting to live again, a little bit." He chuckled, and she joined in softly, shaking her head. "I miss you, though, Matt. I just...needed you to know. And I don't know when I'll be able to call again. So..."

"Yeah," Matt sighed. "I miss you too, Care."

"Caroline," Cami panted, poking her head around the corner with a flustered grin on her face. "It's getting kind of crazy out here..."

Caroline nodded, straightening her stance against the wall, and returned the smile, mouthing that she'd be right there with an apologetic wince. She waited until the other blonde had disappeared before she slumped back again, sighing. "I've gotta go."

"Yeah, me too," Matt said. She could hear the chair creaking under his weight as he shifted, and she could picture him with his elbows propped on his knees, a far away look in his eyes as he gazed out the window that overlooked the parking lot of the Grill. "You're gonna be okay, Caroline. If anyone can overcome this, it's gonna be you."

She smiled, nodding, pressing her lips together to keep them from trembling. "Thanks, Matt." She pushed away from the wall. "I'll talk to you again soon," she said, turning to return the handset to its cradle.

"Care," he called out.

She stopped, pressing the phone back to her ear. The line was silent, nothing but the steady sound of his even breathing reaching her ears, and then she heard him sigh. A broken, empty sigh, that she had become all too familiar with.

"I'm sorry, Care."

Her eyes drifted shut at this whispered confession, and her grip tightened around the black phone until her knuckles were white. There was so much behind those three simple words. So much history, and hurt, and grief, and guilt. So much, that it nearly suffocated her, as she knew it suffocated him.

But there was only so much you could say.

"I know," she replied, her tone just as soft and quiet, and she could practically hear the sad smile in the sigh that greeted her.

No more words were said between them. No goodbye, not talk to you soon. Instead she just gently set the handset back in its original spot. She stood staring at it, a flurry of emotions coursing through her every fibre. It almost felt like an ending, that moment.

A loud, laughing whoop from the front of the bar broke her from her reverie, and she hastily swiped at her tear stained cheeks, pinching at them slightly. The last thing she needed was to go out there and Cami to see her pale and distraught.

She had to put her best foot forward. Make the most of what she'd been dealt in this never ending city of music and light. She had to persevere. She had to fight.

She took a deep breath, hurrying towards the crowds that lingered just outside the hallway. She could hear Cami laughing loudly, and rounding the corner, saw her leaning against the edge of the bar, smiling at an older patron who no doubt crooning something French in her ear.

Cami saw her from the corner of her eye, and she grinned, clenching her fingers under the bar so only she would see. Caroline couldn't help but grin, shaking her head as she sidled up to her, leaning towards a college aged man and his band of friends as they waved to get her attention.

She had to make the most of this. Otherwise, what was the point in even fighting?

**00000000**

**Thanks, as always, to Becky, Miranda and Leah, for basically being my cheering section during this chapter when I struggled and almost didn't continue. **

**The review button is always willing to be pressed, and I promise that your words regarding this chapter will be devoured by me faster than a box of Oreos. So please let me know what you think!**

**Follow me on Tumblr: klarolineepiclove**


	4. Chapter 4

**Fallen**

**Chapter Four**

**A.N. Sorry for the wait, my friends. Things got a little crazy, and time got away from me. Headed to work this morning, so I'll keep it short, but once again thank you all for your reviews and favorites and follows! And thank you to Becky and Miranda, for their amazing work and input. **

**Read, and hopefully enjoy, all!**

**xxxxxxxx**

The ticking of the grandfather clock created a tranquil rhythm as Klaus concentrated on the sketchpad propped on his knee, his brow furrowed as his eyes followed every scratch of the pencil against the paper. The lines met and curved, the tips of his fingers simultaneously rubbing against them to shade in the appropriate areas. They wound around the shape of a chin, the curve of a neck, the cascade of a never ending curls.

It gave him pause to realize that no matter what he may have set out to draw, it always somehow became the bewitching blonde he'd met weeks ago.

Their paths had crossed several times over the last few weeks. He didn't make a habit of leaving Declan in the care of Cami, but with several big showcases on the horizon at Sire Studios, and Rebekah's blossoming clothing line taking flight, his options were few and far between with regards to child care.

Camille was trustworthy, and a friend-something he had very few of. She was one of the few people outside his siblings he trusted his son with. He never had any qualms of leaving Declan with her, knowing that he would be well looked after-not that much supervision was required. While he and the rest of the Mikaelson clan had managed to be complete tyrants as children, his son had amazingly not inherited that gene.

Klaus couldn't even express how much of a relief that was. Between him and Declan's mother...

He shook the thought away, focusing once more on the drawing of Caroline that begun to manifest on the pad in front of him.

Caroline.

A smile played at his lips as he thought of her. She was intriguing. Beguiling. Entrancing. There was something behind her blue eyes and smile that just seemed to pull him in.

He would be lying if he said he didn't look forward to the afternoons Declan stayed with Cami, because it meant there was a fairly good chance he'd run into her again. And like clockwork, he'd walk through the doors to see the blonde bartender sitting with his son, chatting absently about daycare and graham crackers and, always it seemed, sloths. She seemed to have the utmost patience with him-never prattling him along or drifting away from their conversations. She hung onto his every word, nodding and laughing with him, and Klaus would often just linger in the doorway for a few moments more, watching.

She never spoke much towards him. She never really held his gaze for long either.

But there were moments when she did. She would smile and laugh with him as they waited for Declan to gather his backpack and afternoon snacks, and he would ask her how she liked New Orleans so far or how she was faring alongside Cami on the packed house weekends. She would answer shortly and sweetly, always with the same hesitant look in her eye, always swiping at a strand of hair or twisting her hands in the burgundy apron that tied around her waist. And when they left for the day, she would always smile brightly and tell Declan goodbye, before slowly shifting her gaze to him and offering him a small wave.

He found himself looking forward to that small wave more and more often.

The sound of the front door opening and slamming shut resounded from the front hall, and his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of heavy footfalls echoing against the hardwood floor.

"Daddy!" a high pitched voice called out, causing him to roll his eyes. "We're home!"

Klaus lifted his gaze as his younger brother rounded the corner, his lips twitching into a smirk when he saw his son perched high on his shoulders, a happy grin on his face as his hands held onto his uncle's hair for balance. Kol was grinning, his grip tight on the small boy's legs as they dangled over his shoulders.

"We're no longer amused by Archie and Jughead, and Dr. Seuss just doesn't do it for us anymore. And when I suggested to the librarian that we try for something a bit more mature, she gave me quite the death stare and told me that_ 50 Shades_ was far from appropriate for a small child." Kol clicked his tongue. "I'm afraid the city library has been mastered. Off to new ventures."

"New ventures that are sure to only corrupt him," Rebekah said as she made her way into the room, wiping her hands on a dish towel. She rolled her eyes, looking over to Klaus as rested her hip against an armchair. "Why you let him go anywhere with Kol is beyond me, Nik."

"Look, Declan, Auntie Bekah is back from her stay in the seedy underworld of New Orleans," Kol sang, slouching down so the boy could slide over his head and settle on his feet. "Be careful when giving her hug-you may catch something."

Klaus could only shake his head and sigh when Rebekah threw the dish towel at Kol's face, his younger brother laughing as he caught it and began to wrap it around his hands. Sometimes he found himself regretting that every one of his siblings had a key.

"Dinner is ready, so I hope you're hungry, Deck," Rebekah said, glaring at Kol before shifting her gaze to the small boy making his way over the couch where his father sat. She watched as Klaus shifted his legs until both feet rested on the floor, and the blonde haired boy climbed up onto the overstuffed cushion.

His small feet dangled over the edge as he looked over at his father, smiling when he reached over and ruffled his hair affectionately before turning back to the sketchpad in his lap. He kicked his legs back and forth, tucking his hands into the cracks between the cushions as he shifted his gaze to Rebekah. "Are we having spaghetti?"

"It is the only thing she can decently make, kid," Kol taunted from his place at the bar, shaking his head as he poured an amber colored liquid from a large decanter into a glass. "How you ever expect to keep a man after your feminine wiles fade away, dear sister, is beyond me."

"Shut up, Kol," Rebekah growled. "At least it's better than that sludge you try to pass off each time you cook. Honestly, sometimes I wonder why Bonnie hasn't completely kicked you the curb after all the times you've eaten her out of house and home."

"More than likely because that's not the_ only _thing I've eaten her out of," Kol quipped happily, saluting with his glass of scotch when his sister's face took on an expression of disgust and disbelief.

"Enough, the both of you," Klaus chastised from his place on the couch, glaring disapprovingly at both of them before looking meaningfully at the boy at his side whose attention was riveted on the Superman watch strapped to his wrist. "Kol, take your inappropriate innuendoes elsewhere if you're set on riling up Rebekah."

Kol scoffed, tossing back the last of his drink as he shook his head. "Kicking me out. And after I slaved the day away with your son, going from place to place, childish expedition after childish expedition. And this is the thanks I get? I'm the good uncle, in case you've forgotten, Nik. Nothing like the lazy ass ones that are Elijah and Finn."

A small, shocked gasp followed his outburst, and Kol turned to look at Declan, who was staring up at him with wide eyes. He frowned, dropping his arms to his sides and letting the empty glass dangle from his fingertips. "What?"

"You said a swear," Declan answered him, a hint of scandalization in his voice.

Kol groaned, throwing back his head, ignoring the smirk that played on both of his sibling's faces. He sighed, pulling out a worn, black leather wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. He flipped it open, clenching the glass in the crease of his elbow as he held it to his side, and quickly slipped out a crinkled dollar bill, rolling his eyes with Rebekah smugly strutted over and plucked it from his fingers. He scowled, returning the wallet to his pocket and taking the glass in his hand again. "That swear jar is the bane of my existence."

"Well, perhaps if you'd learn to watch your mouth around Deck, it wouldn't be," Rebekah said, holding out the dollar to the boy in question, who reached up and folded it carefully into his hands. "And look on the bright side: You are single handedly funding his college education. The rest of our donations are chump change compared to yours."

Klaus shook his head as his younger siblings continued their bickering, closing his sketchpad with a sigh and tossing it onto the side table. He sat back against the cushions, twisting the pencil in his hand. He smirked, watching as Rebekah issued some asinine threat towards Kol's manhood to which their brother simply laughed and cajoled her further, when he felt the slight tugging on his shirt sleeve. He turned, seeing his son staring up at him.

"Are we going to see Cami again tomorrow?" he asked. "I drew Caroline another picture, and I want to give it to her."

At the mention of the blonde's name, his lips quirked up into a smile and he shook his head, chuckling under his breath as he stretched over and placed his pencil next to his sketchpad. "You and Caroline," he laughed, turning back Declan with raised eyebrows. "If I didn't know better, Declan, the way you talk about Caroline would make me think that she's more important to you than the sloths."

"Who's Caroline?" Rebekah asked from across the room as she stood with her hands perched on her hips.

"She works with Cami," Declan answered, sliding off the couch and folding the dollar bill into his pocket. "She talks to me about sloths when I stay with Cami at her job." He turned back to his father. "I'm hungry. Can I go wash my hands so we can eat?"

Klaus nodded, and the three of them watched as he raced out of the room towards the hall bathroom, Rebekah craning her neck so she could peer questionably at her older brother. "Who the bloody hell is Caroline and why am I just now hearing about her?"

"Oh, is that jealousy I hear, Bekah?" Kol taunted, turning and finally returning his glass to its rightful place on the bar. "Well, if you're going to be jealous over someone taking your place in Declan's life, it should be Caroline. She's quite fetching. Not to mention quite handy with a baseball bat." When both of his siblings looked over at him in confusion, he shrugged. "Oh, didn't I mention, Nik? Caroline is Bonnie's new flatmate." At his brother's look of intrigue, he smirked, nodding. "Yes, she nearly took my head off in the middle of the night, thinking I was a prowler. Why a prowler would be looking in the ice box is a still a subject of contention between us, but still..."

"So, what, you just let Declan talk to a complete stranger in the bar?" Rebekah asked incredulously-certainly not with jealousy, because what did she have to be jealous about at all?-as she looked at Klaus again.

Her brother rolled his eyes as he rose to his feet, stretching his arms over his head. "She's harmless, Rebekah."

"Said every victim of a serial killer ever before they were brutally massacred. Do you even know anything about this woman other than that she works with Camille and lives with Bonnie? The latter of the facts you weren't even aware of until just a moment ago."

"Enough, Rebekah," Klaus said, gathering his sketchpad in his hands before heading towards the hallway. "Jealousy is not an attractive color on you."

"I am not jealous!" she cried after him, huffing and slapping her hands against her sides when Kol simply laughed. "I'm not jealous. I'm just concerned. He barely lets anyone within a foot of Declan that's not family or who we've known for years."

"Trust me, Bekah, I don't think you have anything to worry about. Unless the complete eye fuckage that goes on every time Miss Forbes and Niklaus see each other is a cause for concern. In which case, maybe you should worry about Nik. He's been out of the game for quite a bit, he may not even remember what to do."

"What, he has a thing for her?" she asked, unable to mask the surprise in her voice. While she shuddered to ever think about any of her brother's love lives, she had to admit that she couldn't even recall the last time Klaus had even looked at a woman. Declan was always his main concern, him or his art gallery. He always said he never had time or desire to get back into the dating game.

"I think 'thing' is a bit of an understatement," Kol said. "I would say Nik is good and smitten. And I would say the same for Miss Forbes, but she's a quiet little thing. So on her front, your guess is as good as mine, though really, the looks they tend to share speak volumes."

Rebekah murmured under her breath quietly when Kol turned towards the bar again, refilling his glass and humming as he brought it to his lips. She was intrigued, to say the least. Over the last few years, she'd seen several women throw themselves at her brother, and all of them were promptly ignored without a passing thought. "I have obligations, Rebekah," he would always say to her. "I don't have the time or the desire for a relationship."

And yet now there comes someone who not only captures Klaus' attention, but Declan's as well. He was a precocious child, no one could deny that, but that didn't mean he generally went out of his way to get to know new people. He was a bit of an introvert, always preferring to be alone with his books and his drawings. He interacted with his family quite well, and he was very imaginative, but when it came to strangers, Declan preferred to stay close to home.

Until now, it would seem.

She needed to meet this Caroline.

xxxxxxx

"So you seem to be settling in pretty well."

Caroline looked over her shoulder as she prepared a tray of drinks, smiling at Bonnie as the other girl sat at the counter. It had been a surprise to see her roommate walk through the door of the bar, her backpack slung across one shoulder, a bright smile on her face as she'd waved and sidled up to the bar. They hadn't seen much of each other in the last two weeks. Bonnie's school load had hit a record high, and when you coupled that with the clinic hours she was required to work before the end of the semester, they had been lucky to pass each other in the hallway.

"Yeah, I hope so," she replied, sliding two bottles of Coronas onto the tray before carefully lifting it in her hands and turning on her heel, smiling as she handed it off to baby faced college senior who stood waiting at the end of the bar. "I mean, I haven't spilled beer on anyone in over a week, so I think I'm getting the hang of it."

Bonnie laughed, nodding. "Well, that's good. But I meant just in general, you know? You're settling into New Orleans pretty well. You don't really have that shocked tourist look about you so much anymore. Sometimes it takes a while to get over all the bright lights and loud music, but you're adapting really well."

Caroline smiled. "Thanks."

"Anyway, I actually did stop by for a reason," Bonnie laughed. "Kol's sister Rebekah called me this morning and asked about doing a kind of girl's night. She lives with their other brother Elijah and his wife, and she says she needs a break for a bit. So I wanted to ask if that's cool with you, that she comes over tonight, and ask if maybe you wanted to join us?"

Caroline looked at her, her lower lip catching in between her teeth.

"I mean, it's nothing major or anything. We literally just sit around and drink and talk. There's no weird voodoo rituals or anything you need to worry about. It's just, you know, fun."

Fun.

That was a word Caroline hadn't thought would apply to her life anymore. She hadn't really imagined girls nights, or dance nights, or grabbing a drink every now and then with a friend. She'd resigned herself to a life of solitude; of always looking over her shoulder and not letting her guard down.

But looking at Bonnie now, and thinking back on how things had been playing out these past few weeks, maybe she wouldn't have to after all.

Like Matt had told her: She could conquer this. She could come out on top.

She smiled. "Yeah. That sounds like it would be fun."

Bonnie's face broke out into a grin, and she tapped the countertop with her fingers. "Great! Oh, I'm so glad you said yes, Caroline. This is going to be so much fun." She laughed, sliding off her stool and to her feet, slipping the strap of her bag over her shoulder. "Now that that's settled, I need to go meet Kol for lunch. He gets super touchy anytime Rebekah gets to stay over and not him, so I need to go handle his baby fit." She rolled her eyes when Caroline laughed, smiling, and lifted her hand in a wave. "Okay, I'll see you tonight, Caroline."

Caroline watched Bonnie make her way to the door just as Cami came out from the stockroom, a smile on her face. She turned to her, opening her mouth to speak, but the words died on her lips when she saw Bonnie stopped in the doorway talking to a uniformed man.

A police uniformed man.

The blood running through her veins turned ice cold, and she could feel her heart stop in her chest as she watched Bonnie laugh and smile with the man, the bronze star on his chest gleaming under the florescent lighting of the bar. The officer's face was stretched into a friendly smile, his tousled dark hair in disarray on his head. He was gesturing towards Bonnie with animated hands, and she was nodding, pointing over her shoulder towards the bar, and when his head turned in her direction, Caroline could swear she felt the color drain from her face.

The officer nodded, smiling once more at her roommate before pulling open the door and holding it for her to exit, letting it close behind him quietly before he turned and made his way towards the bar.

Caroline turned her back to him, closing her eyes and breathing deeply, exhaling slowly in an attempt to calm her frantic breathing. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears, in time with every one of his heavy footsteps that tapped against the wooden floor. She clenched her hands into fists, fingernails digging into the skin of her palm. Dread coursed through her—sheer panic; the fear that her running had come to an end. She'd been found, they'd take her back.

Her hopes were gone.

"You okay?" Cami's voice came suddenly, making her jump and snap her eyes open to look over at her fellow bartender. Cami's face was concerned, her hand reaching out to gently rest against her upper arm as she came to her side. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Caroline shook her head quickly, forcing a smile onto her face. She hummed under her breath, not quite trusting her voice to remain steady. She stuck her hands into the pockets of her apron, clenching at the fabric inside to keep them from shaking. She forced herself to keep eye contact with Cami, seeing the uncertainty in the other girl's eyes, but once her attention fell on the man she was sure stood just behind her, the older girl nodded, offering her a smile before weaving around her and towards the bar.

"What can I do for you, deputy?"

Caroline made her way to the liquor shelves, reaching out to unnecessarily straighten the various bottles of multicolored liquids, her head turned slightly towards the conversation going on behind her.

"Yeah, actually," the deep voice of the police deputy sounded. "I'm, um…I'm looking for someone."

Her heart clenched in her chest, and she braced her weight against the counter top. In her head, she was calculating her chances of making it out the door or the back exit before she was noticed. Perhaps he hadn't gotten a good look at her just yet. She didn't look the same anymore, after all. No one knew what she looked like now. No one except Matt…

Had they gotten to Matt?

"You don't say?" Cami asked.

The man clicked his tongue, and Caroline could feel him rest his weight against the counter. "Yeah, uh…tall. Blonde. Blue eyed." Panic seared through her chest. She listened as his voice dropped an octave. "Has this nasty little habit of leaving the bed in the morning before I've fully woken up."

Caroline's frown was met with Cami's soft laughter, and she hesitantly looked over her shoulder, the panic quickly fading from her body when she saw her coworker leaning over the counter to press her lips against the deputy's. She sighed, relieved, remembering Camille's mention of a sort of boyfriend that had trouble defining their relationship, despite the fact they were both crazy about each other.

The two broke apart, smitten smiles on each of their faces, and the man's eyes drifted towards her. His smile grew, and he straightened to his full height. "Sorry, I really don't usually manhandle the staff here," he laughed, a hint of a blush gracing his handsome face.

"What he means to say is he doesn't usually get CAUGHT manhandling the staff," Cami chimed in. "Caroline, this is Stefan Salvatore. Stefan, this is Caroline Forbes."

The deputy extended his hand, and Caroline stepped forward to take it, wiping any discomfort from her face with a smile. "It's nice to meet you."

"Yeah, you too," he said, dropping her hand and settling his grasp on the gun holster at his waist. "Cami's mentioned you a bit. I'm sorry it's taken so long to stop by and say hello. With Mardi Gras just around the corner, things get a little crazy around here. There's still a few months, but even so, the streets still get a little crazy. As I'm sure you've noticed since you arrived into town."

Caroline nodded, smiling, covering her hand on the counter with her other one and rocking back on her heels. There was still a hint of nervousness as she stood talking to Stefan. His face gave no hint of recognition as to who she really was-nothing but a smile and friendly dark eyes that never left her own, unless it was to peer sidelong at Cami. His stance was relaxed, shoulders hunched slightly as he leaned against the counter. He was carefree, and polite, and there was really no logical reason for her to worry about him.

But she still did. And that was a realization that broke her heart.

Would the doubt and fear ever stop?

"Anyway," Stefan laughed, turning his head to smile at the blonde bartender at Caroline's side. "I was just on a round, thought I'd stop in. Chastise a little bit. Maybe see if you wanted to grab a late dinner tonight."

Caroline silently made her way to the other end of the bar, suddenly feeling like an intruder as Cami giggled and leaned towards Stefan, her eyes shining and smile bright. She couldn't help but smile at the sight.

She remembered those days. The days where one single person could change everything about your mood. Where just a smile or a laugh and a whispered promise in your ear could make your hopes soar and your heart race, and there no greater feeling than knowing you meant something to someone.

She remembered those days, with a pang in her chest, because she also remembered how quickly they faded.

And how fast the darkness moves in.

xxxxxxxx

Good genes clearly ran in the Mikaelson family.

That was the first thought that popped into Caroline's mind when she'd climbed the stairs to her apartment and opened the door to find Bonnie sitting on the couch with Rebekah, identical margarita glasses in their hands. The young woman clearly shared Klaus' blonde hair and blue eyes, exuding a confidence she'd come to see in each of the siblings she'd met.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," she said, smiling apologetically as she closed the door behind her. "Cami took off a little early, so..."

Bonnie waved a hand in dismissal, setting her glass on the table and untucking her legs from underneath her. "No, it's no problem. Rebekah just got here a few minutes ago, so you haven't missed anything. Bex, this is Caroline," she said, turning to the blonde at her side with a smile.

Caroline slipped her bag from her shoulder, letting it drop onto the side table by the door before crossing the room, taking the other blonde's extended hand in her own. "Hi."

Rebekah smiled, her eyes seeming to take her in slowly, her grip tight as they shook hands. Caroline suddenly felt like she was on display, and she cleared her throat uncomfortably as she dropped her arm back to her side.

Rebekah's gaze met hers once more, and her smile widened the slightest bit, blonde hair falling over her shoulder as she tilted her head. "It's a pleasure," she replied, her accent lilting and graceful. "Thank you for letting me intrude tonight. I do appreciate it." She rolled her eyes, taking a swig of her margarita and looking over at Bonnie. "Really, I love Elijah, but you'd think that after nearly a decade of marriage to Katherine, the two of them would show some restraint. The last thing I want is to hear the two of them pounding away at each other like wild dogs all the time."

Bonnie cringed, wrinkling her nose as she shook her head. She shuddered, laughing, and looked at Caroline before rising to her feet. "I probably should have warned you that it tends to be no holds barred around here during girl's night," she laughed, catching the blonde's unsure expression. "Why don't you go get changed, and I'll make a fresh batch of feel good drinks? Then we can really get this party started."

xxxxxxxxx

By the fourth round of margaritas, the nerves Caroline had felt around Bonnie and Rebekah were gone. She could feel herself unwind and relax as she sat on the floor, her back against the couch as she laughed at Rebekah's scrunched face, her blonde hair flying as she shook her head rapidly, slamming the shot glass down onto the table with a groan as she finally swallowed the shot of tequila she had insisted she could do.

"Bloody hell, how does anyone enjoy that," she rasped, taking a large gulp of her lime flavored mixed drink to wash away the burning in her throat. She shook her head again, coughing, and flopped back against the cushions.

"You'd think with your alcohol savvy brothers, you'd be able to handle your hard liquor a little better," Bonnie sang from the chair across from her, her legs dangling over one arm while her head rested against the other. "Apart from Kol of course. He's a lightweight."

Rebekah snorted, the unladylike sound causing Caroline to laugh loudly.

"No, really, you have no idea, Caroline," Bonnie cackled, swinging her legs around and sitting up. "Okay, Kol's lousy alcohol tolerance is legit the reason we met. I was working clinical hours in the ER, it's four in the morning, and from down the hall, all I can hear is this loud, obnoxious screaming. Some douchewaffle, yelling from behind the curtain about police brutality and wrongful imprisonment. So I storm down the hall, because the screaming is making the other patients nervous, and low and behold, the douchewaffle-,"

"Is Kol?" Caroline giggled, sipping graciously at her recently refilled glass.

Bonnie nodded. "The douchewaffle is Kol, with a black eye and a split lip, wasted out of his mind, and handcuffed to the bed rail." She laughed, nodding again when Rebekah and Caroline burst into hysterics. "And right away, he just starts going into how he only had two drinks, and the other guy started it, and he was just defending his family's honor, all of which I tell him is bullshit, because he is bleary eyed with slurred speech and sluggish movements. He was so far gone."

"And yet, he was telling the truth," Rebekah declared.

"He was telling the truth. His blood alcohol content barely registered. He was just a complete and total lightweight, and got into an all out brawl with some idiot over a game of pool, and got arrested."

"By our brother Elijah."

"Hence his outrage at being arrested at all, considering Elijah was very familiar with his lack of tolerance." Bonnie smiled, sighing, and leaned back into the cushions. "He was so fucking adorable though. Just sitting there, like a little kid in time out."

Rebekah grinned, her head lolling against the couch cushion. "And the Mikaelson charm prevailed." She laughed, her blue eyes cloudy. "It is the one thing we all seem to have in common, my brothers and I. The undeniable charm."

"Why was he handcuffed to the bed though?" Caroline asked.

"He took a swing at Elijah," Bonnie laughed. "And Elijah, being not only his big brother, but the sheriff at the time, had no choice. Not that that stopped him. He was still swinging with his free arm."

Caroline stiffened at her last comment, and the grip she had around her knees tightened. "Did he hit you?"

"No, no, of course not. Kol knows better than to hit a woman. Especially me." She smiled. "I can give it as good as I can take it."

She and Rebekah smirked, raising their glasses in unison, before dissolving into inebriated giggles once more, and Caroline sat back against the couch, sighing, as she forced a smile onto her face.

_Get a grip_, she told herself.

"God, it baffles my mind how any woman could ever possibly stay with a man after he hit her," Rebekah slurred as she recrossed her legs, sloshing her margarita across her lap. "I mean, I couldn't do it. The first time you raise a hand to me, will be the last time you have hands."

Bonnie snorted. "Right, Khaleesi. Not to mention your brothers would be lining up to disembowel and maim them." She shook her head when Rebekah merely shrugged. "Anyway, I totally agree with you, Bex, but I also think that unless you've been in that situation, you just really don't know. I mean, you can sit here now, and say that's the way it'll roll until the cows come home, but until it happens..." She shrugged. "It's hard."

"Not that hard," Rebekah quipped.

Caroline found her gaze fixed on a faded condensation ring on the coffee table as their words poured over her. She could feel every nerve in her body tense as their conversation unraveled, and she prayed that the alcohol she had consumed masked it from her companions. Her fingers were tracing the seams of her jeans as she slunk further back against the couch, and she drew a steadying breath, the words starting to slip from her mouth before she could give them a second thought.

"I had a friend once, who left her husband, because he hit her," she said quietly. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Rebekah and Bonnie turn their heads in her direction, but she kept her gaze on the table top. "They got married young. They were high school sweethearts, and she...really loved him. Though, really, when she thinks back on it, maybe she just loved the idea of him. Of what he represented." She shook her head. "They were fine for awhile, in the beginning. But then it started to get bad, and he started to get angry. It started with a bounced check, or the car running out of gas, but then it was dinner getting burnt or she served the wrong wine or the cabinets weren't straight enough or she...forgot to buy stamps. And when he hit her that first time, she didn't know what to think or do."

"She left, and was determined to not go back, but he came after and apologized. And he was so sincere, and he said such lovely things to her, that she believed him. So she went back home. And then it happened again. And again. And again. And then he almost killed her, when she took too long at the hair salon, and he missed a football game on TV. And she knew that...next time there might not be a next time. There wouldn't be an 'I'm sorry' or an 'I won't do it again, I promise.' But she'd had enough 'almosts' to last a lifetime. So she left again. For good..."

There was silence then, as her words trailed off, and she could feel their eyes on her as she continued to stare at the marred coffee table. Her mind was a hazy hue of memories and fears and new worries, because how could she just let the words out without thinking of the consequences?

Rebekah shifted on the couch behind her, and she saw a slender arm reach for the pitcher of liquor that still sat in the center of the table. "I hope she torched the bastard," she said, her words laced with disgust and anger.

Caroline shrugged one shoulder, her eyes sliding shut as she sighed. "I think she did some damage," she said softly. But then she shook her head, an uncomfortable laugh escaping her lips, and she reached for her own glass. "Nothing like me, trying to take out Kol with a bat in my PJ's."

"Oh please, honey. You could take out Kol with a wooden spoon. He's a total pushover," Bonnie said, rolling her eyes and hugging a throw pillow to her chest.

Caroline laughed with Rebekah, leaning back and watching as the other blonde drained the last of her glass before stumbling to her feet, muttering under her breath about the loo. From where she sat, she could feel Bonnie's gaze bearing down on her. She leaned forward, wrapping her fingers around the slender stem of her glass, and peeked at the woman from the corner of her eyes.

Bonnie sat with the yellow pillow clutched tightly to her chest, her lower lip captured between her teeth as her eyes drifted over her. There was concern and confusion etched across her face, coupled with the familiar gleam of curiosity in her eyes, and Caroline forced her face to remain impassive as she brought the glass to her lips.

She was all too familiar with that stare. It was a lingering stare, one that usually came from people who were concerned, but not quite able to form the question that festered in their heads. They would stare, and gawk, and whisper behind their hands, their gazes searing a path straight through her as she pulled down the sleeves of her shirt or wrapped her arms around her chest. They would follow her with their eyes, pleasant smiles on their faces even as their gaze screamed the opposite.

It was the stares that had gotten to her most of the time.

If only one of those people had said something. Had asked the question that was perched on the edge of their tongue.

If one person had reached out...

The bathroom door flew open with a crack, and both Caroline and Bonnie jumped, whipping their heads around to gawk at Rebekah as she slumped against the wall, her body sliding down to the floor and her blonde hair in disarray, creating a tangled curtain around her face as she mumbled.

"Bloody rabbits moved the couch again," she slurred, curling her legs up into her chest and resting her head against her knees.

Caroline grinned, and Bonnie laughed, both of them rolling their eyes as they climbed to their feet and went to help the boozy blonde onto the couch. As they both slid an arm around her waist and across her shoulder, Caroline let out a breath of relief, hoping that by morning her loose lipped story would be nothing more than a hazy memory.

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**Sorry for the lack of Klaroline, but hopefully the little glimpse into Caroline's tragic past makes up for it a little. Next chapter we have Klaroline back together in action, so you won't have long to fear. **

**Once again, I love to hear your reactions, so make sure to press that little button down there and feed me.**

**Follow me on Tumblr for rants, raves, and crazy things: klarolineepiclove**


	5. Chapter 5

**Fallen**

**Chapter Five**

**A.N. Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter! I'm glad Declan and girls' night was entertaining for you to read, and I have to say that I am loving hearing all of your theories in regards to Caroline and her little storytelling moment. Really, just all of your feedback on this story is great, and I love reading them.**

**There's not much Klaroline interaction in this chapter, but I hope you enjoy the moments they do have.**

**Thanks to Becky, Miranda, and Leah for their help with this chapter.**

**I hope you enjoy!**

**xxxxxxx**

"You know, most men fantasize about walking into a room and finding three women entangled in a glorious heap on the floor, but this one just makes me uncomfortable."

Caroline moaned softly under her breath as she shifted, lifting a hand to slowly come to rest against her throbbing temple. Even the small movement sent her stomach reeling, and she cringed, prying open her eyes when a multitude of similar moans echoed at both of her sides.

Bonnie was curled on her side, her hands splayed across her face as she rolled onto her back, her long hair a dark curtain around her shoulders as she shook her head. She was resting on a bed comprised of the couch cushions, and her lithe legs were entangled in the blue afghan from the back of the chair, one pant leg rolled up around her thigh.

Rebekah was lying face down in a sea of comforters, hands tangled in her hair, a near primal growl leaving her body as she kicked her feet angrily. "Go away, Kol," she muttered, her words muffled by the rug beneath her. She groaned, wrapping her hands tighter around her head and seeming to curl in on herself as the sunlight finally hit her face.

Kol's amused laughter resonated through the room, and the door shut quietly behind him as his footsteps came further into the apartment. There was a jingle of keys as they hit the small bowl that rested on an end table by the door, and then there was a contented sigh as his sturdy form collapsed into an armchair.

"Honestly, if you ladies are trying to show that you are of the utmost class and dignification, I'm afraid this isn't the way to go about it," he cajoled, nudging Rebekah's calf with his boot and snickering when she kicked blindly at him. "Perhaps you lot should learn to hold your liquor a bit better. The morning after might not seem to drab."

"Says the douchewaffle who can't even stomach three beers," Caroline sighed, throwing an arm over her face and and resting a soothing hand against her stomach.

"Oh, telling stories are we, Bonnie darling?" Kol crooned, his feet hitting the floor as he suddenly shifted on the couch. "Did you recall the tale of how our sordid affair started? What with the handcuffs and the haze of booze..." He sighed happily, shaking his head. "What a magical night it was. Almost as magical, dear Caroline, as the night of three times, in the boiler room of the hospital. Do you remember, Bonnie?"

If Caroline weren't feeling like death, she would have been impressed with the way Bonnie shot up, a warning glare on her face as her hand shot out to smack Kol across the chest. She was muttering something under her breath, the words "no sex" and "you'll regret it" hissing out, but the smirking Mikaelson only laughed, snatching her wrist with his hand and pulling her until she nearly kneeled in his lap, capturing her protesting lips with his for a good morning kiss.

"Will the two of you please snog somewhere else?" Rebekah moaned, now on her back and grimacing at the canoodling couple. "I'm having a hard enough time as it is keeping last night's dinner down without the image of your tongues mating."

"Don't be bitter, Bekah," Kol grinned, brushing a strand of hair from Bonnie's cheek before winking at her and settling back into his seat. "We'll find you a nice bloke, with low inhibitions, who doesn't mind a boozy fashion designer with no morals at all."

There was an undignified huff that came from Rebekah's general direction, and Caroline couldn't help but giggle quietly at the stream of accented swear words that tumbled from the blonde's lips as she pulled herself into a sitting position. She quickly followed suit, giving herself a moment to adjust to the slight spinning of the room, before bracing a hand against the coffee table and pulling herself to her feet.

She kicked the blankets off from around her legs, shuffling in her still socked feet around Bonnie's outstretched legs as she rested a cheek on Kol's lap, his hand rubbing soothing patterns against her back, and she smiled, rubbing a hand across her tired eyes as she made her way towards the bathroom.

In the back of her mind, there was a fuzzy recollection of a round of storytelling last night, and a nerve wracking staring contest with her roommate. She knew she should be concerned with the results her loose tongue could present. She always did talk too much when she was drunk.

But as she closed the door to the bathroom behind her and hit the faucet to the shower, steam quickly building in the small room and fogging up the mirror, she told herself that if it was hazy for her, then perhaps it was even more so for the two who had heard her tale. People said all kinds of things under the influence. To them, it would be nothing more than a silly story.

And yet as she stepped under the stream of hot water, dousing her hair and closing her eyes, the image of Bonnie's gaze boring into her own was front and center, and no amount of words or consolation could make it disappear.

xxxxxxx

"Kol, give me the bloody coffee before I knock out your teeth!"

Caroline shook her head as she rounded the corner into the kitchen, her head tilted to the side as she ran a towel through her damp hair, and a smile spread across her face when she saw the two siblings wrestling in front of the sink.

Rebekah stood flush against Kol, her arms straining to reach around him to where he was holding a steaming mug behind his back, his face split into a grin as she huffed and pushed at his shoulders. He was clearly enjoying the torment of his little sister, and Caroline was reminded of Bonnie's comment the previous day about Kol's displeasure of Rebekah spending time with Bonnie while he wasn't invited.

Kol finally relented when Rebekah socked him in the stomach, lowering the mug to her outstretched hand as he laughed. He sidestepped around her as she leaned against the counter, bringing the mug to her lips, her long blonde hair now hanging in a braid over her shoulder. He made his way over the kitchen table where Bonnie sat nibbling on a piece of toast, grinning when she rolled her eyes, and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Ugh, vomit," Rebekah muttered. She caught sight of Caroline lingering in the entryway, and she lifted her mug, raising her eyebrows in a silent question. Caroline nodded gratefully, tossing the towel over one of the kitchen stools and making her way over to her. She helped herself to the freshly brewed pot, pouring the steaming dark liquid into a clean mug and closing her eyes as she inhaled the rich aroma.

"Okay," Bonnie yawned, sliding off her stool and bringing her plate to the sink. She ran a hand through her hair a she turned on her heel, stretching her arms over her head. "I'm going to shower and wash the hangover off my skin."

Kol grinned as she spoke, falling into step behind her as she made her way towards the bathroom. "I'll give you a hand."

"I can manage just fine," Bonnie retorted.

His arms wrapped around her waist from behind, pulling her back a step and into his chest, his face nuzzling the side of her neck as she laughed. "Yes, but I can get that spot on your back you can't ever seem to reach..."

They both disappeared down the hallway giggling, leaving the two blondes to stare after them, one in amusement and the other in disgust, the silence settling around them when the door the bathroom slammed shut.

Caroline kept her gaze on the coffee mug in her hands, feeling Rebekah's gaze on her as they stood in quiet companionship, before the other blonde set her mug on the counter, turning to gaze out the kitchen window.

"I can see why my nephew is so taken with you."

She looked over at her, seeing Rebekah still fixated on the street below the window, but a contemplative look rested on her face. The words weren't spoken with disdain or resentment, but more of a reflection, as if she was finally coming to a realization or decision.

She shrugged, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "He's a sweet kid," she said softly.

"He is," Rebekah reiterated, glancing over at her. "He's very sweet, and very trusting. Which is really the sole reason for the girl's night last night. Not that it wasn't fun, or that I wouldn't have wanted to meet you eventually. But you have to understand that I needed to see you for myself and quell any worries or doubts I had about you."

She smiled when Caroline's brow furrowed in confusion. "Our family is very close knit. And Declan is very much the focal point of it. He means the world to me. And when he just kept going on and on about his new friend, Caroline-someone I'd never heard of before...well. I guess you can say my overprotective instincts kicked in."

"So you wanted to make sure I wasn't some psycho kidnapper?" Caroline asked with a smile.

She laughed. "Mostly. Though I also wanted to see the face of the woman who put an honest to God smile on my brother's face for the first time in years."

Caroline narrowed her eyes slightly, a smile tugging at her lips as she shook her head and laughed under her breath. "What?"

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed. He doesn't socialize very often, Caroline. My brother is, for all intents and purposes, a hermit when he isn't at his gallery or with Deck. He doesn't stick around to have idle chit chat or anything like that. And yet that's just what he does with you, anytime you're at the bar when he comes to get Declan." She watched the other blonde stare at her incredulously for a long moment, and she scoffed, shaking her head. "You truly have no idea, do you?"

Caroline gaped at her, running a hand through her hair, attempting to squash down the faint fluttering she could feel in her chest. There was a heat rising to her face, and she could only pray that it wasn't as visible as it felt, though from the way Rebekah's lips tugged up into small smug smile, she had a feeling it was. She shook her head, running a hand hastily through her hair as she dropped her gaze to the coffee smug still clenched firmly in her hand.

Rebekah laughed, shaking her head as she crossed her arms over her chest and pushed away from the counter. "Well, my brother's next visit to the bar should be interesting, shouldn't it?" she teased, tossing her braid over her shoulder as she headed towards the kitchen table.

Caroline watched her as she snatched her beaded purse from the under the table, slipping the strap over her her shoulder and digging around inside before pulling out a ring of keys. Her grip was tightening around the mug in her hand as the other blonde lifted her jacket and draped it over her arm, slipping into a pair of blue stiletto heels before heading towards the front door.

"Rebekah?" she called out.

Rebekah stopped and turned towards her, smiling with an inquisitive brow arched, and Caroline sighed, slinking back against the counter. "I'm no good for him," she said quietly.

Rebekah's ice blue eyes stared at her for a long moment before they softened, her head tilting to the side as her smile seemed to grow. She shrugged, reaching behind her to twist the door knob and pull open the door. "I think you're wrong," she stated plainly. "And I guess we won't know which of us is right until you find out. Will we?" She grinned, winking, and in a whir of blonde hair she waltzed out the door, closing it with a quiet click, and leaving Caroline to stare after her, a weary sigh escaping her lips.

xxxxxxxxx

"It's always been pretty complicated, you know? I mean, it started as simple. But somewhere along the line, between it changed from 'let's just have fun' to...whatever it is now."

Caroline looked over at Cami as she meticulously stacked the highball glasses on the shelf behind the bar, turning and twisting them unconsciously until they all faced the same direction.

The bar was relatively quiet, a few back tables crowded with college aged regulars who preferred early evening booze binges to studying sessions in the library. The chords of a Bob Dylan song thrummed from the jukebox in the corner, and the clank and thunk of a mild game of pool resounded from across the room.

Their conversation had covered everything from Cami's college course load to how she'd landed a job as head bartender, and had shifted to her less than simple relationship with Stefan Salvatore.

Caroline shrugged, turning back to the glasses. "You two seem pretty crazy about each other to me," she said, smiling. "I mean, he was pretty moon eyed that one afternoon he stopped in here. And I'm pretty sure it was reflected in your baby blues too."

Cami sighed, wiping her hands on a white hand towel and swiping at a strand of hair that slipped from beneath her headband and fell into her eyes. "Well, you'd never know from Stefan. I mean, actions can speak louder than words. Don't get me wrong there, but a girl sometimes needs the words, you know?" She shook her head. "Anyway, it's not like I'm complaining. I mean, not really. Stefan never has been one to just pour out his emotions like he's on some daytime talk show. Stems back from a childhood of withheld affection and a father who taught that it meant you were a sissy if you shared your feelings. I mean, their father's strictness and his whole view on his childrens' relationships is what spurred his older brother to run off with his girlfriend to some hick town in Colorado. It's textbook."

"Says the Psych Major," Caroline giggled. "Come on. Stefan is nuts about you. Anybody can see it. Maybe you just need to give it a little more time. You never know...people surprise you."

Cami nodded, perching a hip against the counter and turning to look at her, her gaze faltering on something just over her shoulder. A smile tugged at her lips, and she shrugged. "Maybe take your own advice?"

Caroline glanced over her shoulder, catching sight of Klaus sitting at the far end of the bar with an older dark haired man-one of the men she'd seen sitting with him the first night she saw him-their heads turned towards each other as they conversed quietly. Her gaze drifted over him, from his unruly dirty blonde curls and down across his strong chiseled jaw, the stubble covering his chin. His lips were turned up in a smile as he laughed, his blue eyes sparkling even from their distance.

She'd seen him come in earlier, and had tried her best to subtly ignore him, jumping to the aid of customers who strolled past the bar. His eyes had followed her as he'd moved to a seat at the bar, and with every second that his gaze stayed on her, her skin seemed to tingle. Rebekah's words had followed her for the past two days-the unspoken dare she'd seemed to let linger between them that morning after the girl's night.

She nibbled on her lower lip as she turned back to Cami, dropping her gaze to floor and shrugging her shoulders. "There's no advice to take," she said quietly. She looked back up, seeing Cami looking at her dubiously, and she laughed, throwing her arms out at her sides. "What? There isn't. Why everyone keeps saying there is..."

"Is probably because it's obvious from a mile away," Cami laughed. "Come on, Caroline. You've been here for about a month now. You're settling in. And you've caught the attention of Niklaus Mikaelson, the one guy in all of New Orleans who doesn't even browse the crowds of singletons anymore. There is no harm in just finding out where things lead. Unless you have a reason they shouldn't?"

Caroline stared at her. There were a dozen reasons why she shouldn't. There were a dozen reasons why she should just scoff and shake off Cami and Rebekah's comments and badgering; why she should just continue to ignore Klaus and his sexy little smirks and the way he looked at her as if he could see right into her soul.

There were a dozen reasons why she shouldn't. And there was a large part of her that wanted to ignore every one of them.

Before she could even open her mouth to reply, a loud thump on the counter made them both jump, and they turned to see Kol settling himself onto a bar stool, hands flat against the counter top as he grinned at them.

"Well, good evening, my lovely ladies," he crooned, resting his weight on his elbows and leaning towards them. "It's a lovely season for a party, don't you think?"

The two blonde bartenders exchanged a glance, rolling their eyes before returning their attention to the grinning man on the other side of the counter. "What are you going on about, Kol?" Cami asked.

"Well, Camille, in case it's slipped your mind, and you, Caroline, since there's a good chance you may not know, Saturday is Bonnie's birthday. It's quite the big deal, because even though she's only going to be 24, a rather dull and drab birthday, if you ask me, it also marks the second year she has willingly decided to spend at my side. Which, in all honestly, really requires a parade in and of itself."

"It's good you realize what a sacrifice she makes to be your girlfriend, Kol," Caroline said, smiling.

"Anyway," Kol continued, mock glaring at her before letting out a dramatic sigh. "It's going to be quite the celebration. Saturday. 8 o'clock sharp. The Hotel Monteleone. Surrounded by history, class, and let's not forget the carousel bar, which I have no doubt my family will put to good use." He shrugged. "Consider this your invitations." Grinning, he sent them a wink before spinning on his stool and hopping to his feet. He patted the bar once more in passing as he made his way to the end of the bar where his older brothers sat, each of them rolling their eyes when he slapped their backs and slid in between them.

"Hotel Monteleone," Cami said, clicking her tongue as she tightened the strings on her apron. "Don't let anyone tell you the Mikaelson's do anything lowkey."

"What's Hotel Monteleone?" Caroline asked.

"It's this huge historic luxury hotel in the middle of the French Quarter. Very rich in history and class and price tags. It's gorgeous, but it's very high end. Executive suites with valet parking, a rooftop pool and a million other things. It's gorgeous, but like I said, it caters to a very certain kind of clientele. And the Mikaelsons, coming from the old money that they do, very much fit that clientele."

Caroline nodded. Old money made sense. While the three Mikaelson siblings she'd met didn't exactly flaunt their apparent wealth, they carried themselves with the poise and confidence that came with it. Add to that the obvious designer clothes all three of them sported-Rebekah most prominent-and it was an easy conclusion to come to.

"Anyway, any family gathering, whether it's a birthday or a reunion or just a ball because Rebekah 'got a fancy' for one, it is a high profile event. Everyone's dressed to the nines and the champagne flows like waterfalls. It's very hoity toity without too much of the snobbiness, if that makes sense at all. And since Bonnie and Kol have been together for a couple years, she's as close to family as she's going to get without taking the last name, so her birthday is sure to be the biggest shindig we've seen in awhile."

"Dressed to the nines," Caroline murmured. "So it's a real fancy thing? Like...Cinderella and ballgowns and all that?"

Cami nodded, shrugging as she reached for the clipboard that sat tucked behind two large bottles of whiskey and bourbon.

Caroline sighed, leaning against the bar and crossing her arms over her chest. "A ballgown is a problem." When Cami frowned over at her, she shrugged. "I didn't exactly think to pack one before I headed this way. And I'm pretty sure dresses for this kind of venue come with a pretty price tag that I just can't swing right now."

"Well, it's no big deal," the bartender said as her eyes perused the list in her hands. "I'm sure Bonnie has something lying around you can borrow. Because I can guarantee that if you try to get out of this party for something as silly as not having a dress, you're going to be met with some serious conflict on your roommate's end."

She nodded, murmuring a quiet "yeah," though the clearing of a throat behind them stopped her from saying anything more, and she turned, her breath catching in her throat when she saw Klaus standing on the other side of the bar. He was wearing his signature smirk, his hand resting on top of his wallet on the bar counter, a golden colored credit card between his fingers as he held it out towards her.

"Settle my tab?" he asked quietly, and Caroline saw his brothers shuffling into their coats behind him.

She could practically hear Cami crowing next to her as she shook herself from her daze, breaking her eye contact with his and stepping forward to quickly snatch the card from his hand. His smirk only seemed to grow with her actions, and she couldn't help the smile that pulled at her own lips at the quiet laughter she saw in his eyes. She shook her head, turning and making her way towards the cash register, glaring at Camille and muttering a half hearted "shut up" under her breath, the sound of her heartbeat thundering in her eyes, Klaus' gaze burning into her back with every step she took.

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The next morning, Caroline came into the living room of her apartment surprised to see Bonnie sitting on the couch in her purple pajamas, her long dark curls in a messy ponytail and bowl of cereal in her hands, her eyes transfixed on the television. They'd been living together for over a month now, and she was almost positive this was the first time she'd seen her roommate "lounging."

Her confusion must have been visible, because Bonnie smiled and shrugged, shifting her socked feet under her legs. "Three day weekend. They're a very rare occurrence, so I don't waste any time. I've got a week's worth of The Dead Files on DVR to squeeze in, and not nearly enough good food to compensate for the swill the hospital serves in the cafeteria."

Caroline laughed, running a hand through her disheveled hair and making her way towards the kitchen. "Gotta love that you have your priorities straight, Bonnie," she said. "By the way, Happy early Birthday."

Bonnie laughed, smiling. "Thanks. I take it you heard about the party from Kol?" When Caroline nodded, she rolled her eyes. "I've told him he doesn't have to make a huge deal out of it. It's just another day of the year, but he insists on creating this huge spectacle that I sadly have no say in, despite it being for me. And Rebekah's hands are in the cookie jar too, so really it's for my own safety that I don't put up a fight. But you're coming, right?"

Caroline stood in the doorway of the kitchen, her fingers fidgeting with the drawstring ties to her pajama shorts. "Yeah," she said, smiling uncertainly. She truly did want to go, and by the way Bonnie's smile seemed to grow and her face brightened, she knew there was no way she would ever back out on it now. Because despite her reservations about developing any attachments to a town she didn't know she'd even see again, she was quickly coming to think of the other girl as a friend.

She was just about to bring up her lack of a dress problem when Bonnie interrupted her, motioning towards the kitchen table with her spoon as she turned her attention back to the television. "Oh, before I forget, there's something for you on the table."

Caroline frowned, looking over her shoulder to see a pale blue box sitting in the center of the table, a sparkly ribbon tied neatly around it. She walked further into the kitchen, taking in the envelope that had her name neatly scrawled across it. "Who's it from?" she asked, sliding the card from beneath the ribbon and turning it over in her hands.

"Kol brought it over this morning on his way to Elijah's," Bonnie replied, furthering Caroline's confusion. Had Kol bought her a present?

Her fingers slid under the flap of the unsealed envelope, pulling out a piece of parchment paper, her eyes traveling over the short sentence that was written on it in the same handwriting as her name:

**Save me a dance.**

**Fondly, Klaus.**

Klaus...The gift was from Klaus?

She pushed away the sudden tightness in her throat as she set the card down on the table, her fingers tugging at the ends of the ribbon and untying it carefully. She slowly slid the box of the lid off, peeking beneath the tissue paper that crinkled under her touch, and she gasped quietly when she saw that dress that lied beneath it.

It was a dark blue, almost cobalt, with a ruched bodice and thin see through shoulder straps. The upper body was framed with an embellishment of beads, woven into an intricate pattern that seemed to cinch around the waist and come to a point just below the bosom of the dress. The skirt of the dress was floor length, layered in hues of gray that only made the blue so much more vibrant. It was extravagant, and clearly expensive.

And from Klaus.

There was a sudden irritation that sparked within her, and her eyes narrowed as they continued to stare at the dress. She wasn't quite sure where her irritation was coming from: the fact that Klaus had clearly eavesdropped on her conversation with Cami yesterday, or that he had the audacity to just assume she would take his handouts.

"Seriously?" she hissed, shaking her head and looking over at Bonnie, who was peering at her with interest. "It's a dress. From Klaus. A dress." She shook her head, scoffing under her breath as Bonnie set her bowl down on the kitchen table, hitting the pause button on the remote before standing to her feet and hurrying into the kitchen, her eyes widening when they saw the brilliant blue dress. "He bought me a dress."

"It's gorgeous," Bonnie said, reaching out and carefully running her hand along the beaded artwork. "Wow, Caroline, this is beautiful."

"This is ridiculous," Caroline corrected, settling the lid back on the box once Bonnie had withdrawn her hand. "He had to have overheard me talking with Cami last night about not having anything to wear to your party."

"They all have ears like bats, it's weird," Bonnie mused, laughing when she saw the disgruntled frown on Caroline's face. "What's the big deal? So he bought you a dress for the party. It's nice."

"It's presumptuous." She lifted the card in her hand. "'Save me a dance?' What, so he buys me a dress and I'm just supposed to...what, fall at his feet?"

Bonnie took the card from her, her lips turning up in an impressed smile as she nodded. "Who knew Klaus had so much game?"

Caroline was glaring at her as she snatched the paper from her hands, crossing her arms over her chest and shifting on her feet, ignoring the laughter that seemed to sprinkle from Bonnie's lips.

"I don't see what the big deal is. So he bought you a dress. Yeah, he was super rude for eavesdropping on your talk with Cami, but I think this is pretty harmless. Crazy, out of this world gestures are kind of a Mikaelson trademark, Caroline. Believe me, he probably thinks nothing of this and just wanted you to have something nice to wear to the party tomorrow. He knows we're friends, and by association, Kol too, and he just wants to make sure you don't miss out. And the card is just, you know, harmless flirting."

"It's a weird Cinderella fetish, is what it is. Helping the poor little soot covered girl turn into a princess for the night? There is no way..."

"I think you're reading too much into this, Caroline," Bonnie said. "Because one: I can barely picture you covered in soot." She smiled when the blonde seemed to agree with that statement, her lips curling up distastefully. "And two: It is just. A. Dress. A dress and a flirty little request. It's not a proposal or a proposition. He's just being nice."

Caroline sighed, tapping her foot against the floor as her gaze settled on the closed box, her fingers tracing the slanting curves of Klaus' writing on the card in her hand. Bonnie was right-it wasn't a huge deal. It wasn't as if he was giving her an ultimatum. He was simply asking her to save a dance for him, and giving her the most extravagant gift she'd ever received.

"Yeah, well, there's a fine line between nice and creepy," she replied, looking back at her.

"The Mikaelson family motto," Bonnie laughed, turning and heading back towards the couch.

Caroline watched her go, her teeth worrying her lower lip as the thoughts ran through her head. She loved the dress-anyone would. It was beautiful and elegant, and the finest article of clothing she'd ever had. But there was a discomfort that was settling in her stomach with it, a feeling like she was being bought off with this dress.

It wasn't a feeling she relished in.

It wasn't a feeling she'd ever thought she'd be forced to feel again.

She sighed again, turning to face Bonnie in the living room. "Where does Klaus work?"

xxxxxx

The knock on his office door tore Klaus' attention away from the crate of painting on the floor, and he looked up to see Dean leaning into in the doorway, his hands resting against the door jam, fingers tapping nervously. He lifted his brows in question, frowning when Dean seemed to shift on his feet out in the hall.

"There's a very angry blonde here to see you, and it's not Rebekah."

A smile spread across Klaus' face as he quickly ran through the list in his head of blonde's a regularly associated with. It not being Rebekah narrowed it down to two, and since he knew for a fact that Camille was spending a lazy morning with Stefan, it only left one other option, and it as the one he'd often hoped would one day happen.

Though angry wasn't ever an aspect he'd entertained.

He pursed his lips, slipping the painting back into its assigned slot in the crate, and nodding towards Dean. "Bring her in then."

Dean stared at him for a moment, his fingers continuing their nervous prattle against the doorframe, before he sighed in resignation, nodding once before disappearing down the hall.

Klaus had barely slid the cover over the crate before the sound of angry footsteps thundered towards his office, and he looked up to see Caroline fly into the room in a rush of blonde hair and blue eyes, a familiar blue package clenched tightly in her hands. He felt a sigh escape him when his mind managed to connect the dots, and he smiled at her as she approached his desk, lifting his eyebrows and holding his arms out at his sides. "This is quite a surprise, Caroline," he greeting jovially, his smile growing when her eyes narrowed and she slammed the box down on the desk.

"What is this?" she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest and shifting her weight onto one leg.

He clicked his tongue, his eyes darting down the ribbon wrapped package. "Looks an awful lot like a box."

Her glare was withering in return, and he pressed his lips together to hold back the chuckle he could feel welling in his throat. She was trying to appear so intimidating, but he found her stance to be nothing more than completely adorable. Not to mention the lovely way her skin seemed to flush as her anger grew...

"I'm serious, Klaus, what the hell is this?" she asked again. "Do you make a habit of going around and eavesdropping on private conversations and then buying super expensive ballgowns and leaving them on people's doorsteps?"

"Technically, it was hand delivered." Her eyes narrowed, and he sighed, shrugging his broad shoulders. "I overheard your dress woes and thought I would help you out. It was a friendly gesture. Consider it a welcome to New Orleans gift, it you will."

Caroline held up a finger, taking a step towards his desk. "Okay, it was an invasion of privacy, first of all. And what, I'm just supposed to forget that little fact because you bought me a pretty dress? Life doesn't work that way, Mikaelson. I'm not your charity case. My life doesn't change because you got me some extravagant present. You can't just snap your fingers and get whatever you want."

_It doesn't make things different,_ she added silently, steeling herself against the memories of countless little trinkets left here and there whenever apologies needed to be made.

"Apparently not, because if I could, you would be saying a simple thank you right now as opposed to reprimanding me," he retorted, crossing his arms over his chest as he sighed. This certainly wasn't how he pictured this scenario playing out. "Caroline, if you've interpreted this to be anything other than me giving you a simple gift, then I apologize. I overheard your dress woes, and I would have hated for you to miss the party simply because you lacked something to wear. It would have been a disappointment to your roommate, not to mention my brother and sister...and admittedly, myself."

Caroline froze at his words. It wasn't the first time the thought had been put into her head. Hadn't she fancied the idea herself, not long after meeting him? A split second, when she'd forgotten what she was running from and who she was, and let herself entertain the thought of a whirlwind romance with a handsome man in a magical city? And even after she'd shaken those thoughts off, hadn't Rebekah and Camille put them right back in with their words? Even Bonnie. They'd all told her there was something there. But to hear him say it now...

"Klaus," she sighed, shaking her head.

"It's just a dress, Caroline. It's a gift."

She huffed, throwing up her hands. "I don't want your gift! I can't take it."

"Why?" he asked, coming around the side of the desk, his hand tracing the edge of the box as he approached her. He watched her take a step back, and his own halted, an amused smile playing on his face at their obvious game of cat and mouse. She certainly wasn't making this easy.

"I just can't, okay?" she said. "Look, it was nice of you. And the gesture is appreciated, but I just...can't take it." There was an edge of desperation in her voice, an almost panicked resolution that had him frowning for a moment before he shrugged, pursing his lips.

"Well, I have no use for it," he said, motioning towards the box with an outstretched arm. "And really, it would be a shame for such an exquisite dress to go to waste." He arched his brow as he smiled at her, his eyes shining as they perused her flushed face and fiery eyes. There was something just so...beguiling about this woman. Her own gaze was meeting his own head on, never wavering, so determined to stand strong in her argument. It was admirable, he couldn't deny that. She was dedicated, and fierce, and he found himself even more drawn to her now.

He took another step towards her, and she held up a hand, a groan of frustration escaping her lips as she stomped her foot. "Ugh, just...you and your...expensive clothes and flirty romantic notes just leave me alone," she gritted out, spinning on her heel and storming towards the door, her yellow sundress fluttering around her legs with every angry, determined stomp. She nearly crashed into Dean as she fled into the hall, stumbling back a step before muttering a half hearted "sorry," and continuing on her way.

Klaus stared after her, a low amused chuckle tickling his throat, and his smile widened once he saw the look of relieved panic on Dean's face when he turned to him. His assistant was letting out a low breath, his hands fiddling with the collar of his shirt as he glanced over his shoulder.

"Hell hath no fury, huh?" he asked, turning back to him. "What did you do to piss that one off, boss?"

Klaus merely laughed, shaking his head as he unbuttoned his suit jacket, shedding it and tossing it over the back of his chair. "Upped the game, it would seem," he said, turning back to the younger man and motioning towards the box that still sat on his desk. "Do me a favor and make sure this leaves with Kol when he stops by this afternoon, will you?" Dean nodded, pulling his phone from his pocket to make a quick note. "I'll be in the back then, if you need anything."

He slowly made his way to the door on the other side of the room, his hands suddenly itching for the paint brush and canvas he hadn't touched in months.

It would appear that a certain fiery eyed bartender was quickly becoming his newest muse.

xxxxxxxx

The sound of Matt's voice was one of the few things that managed to calm Caroline down after a rampage, which is how she found herself four blocks from Sire Studios at a Public Library, her back pressed to the cement wall with the handle of a payphone pressed to her ear.

She'd listened as once again he told her it was too risky to be calling him, and even though she'd chose to do it somewhere other than she had before, it didn't matter. But once she'd told him quietly that she just needed to hear his voice, Matt Donovan had merely sighed, as he always did when she busted out the big guns.

"The Grill's doing great," he told her, the hushed sounds of a busy patronage echoing behind the closed door of his office, and she knew she wouldn't be able to keep him long. "We brought in some local garage bands the other weekend, and people seemed to be pretty into it."

"Live music," Caroline mused quietly, her eyes following the movements of the parents and children who crossed from one row of books to the other. "You should make it a weekly thing. You know, bring in some fresh clientele."

"Yeah, we're thinking about it," he replied, the line going quiet after he spoke. She found herself nibbling on her lower lip, her mind voicing the question her voice couldn't form, and she nearly sighed with relief when Matt seemed to read her mind. "Things are quiet around here, Care. No one's been around asking questions in awhile..."

She hesitated before speaking, turning against the wall so she faced the payphone, her voice dropping to a low murmur. "So no one is looking for me?"

"I don't know," Matt answered honestly. "It's kind of like limbo up here. I mean...it's like everyone just stopped wondering out of nowhere. I don't know, Care. Things are just...different right now. Since you left, everything just changed."

Caroline sighed, her cheek resting against the cool brick of the wall, her eyes taking in her reflection in the large automatic glass doors ahead of her. "Tell me about it," she said, quiet exasperation lacing her words, and she frowned when there was brief pause on the other end before a quiet chuckle sounded. "What?"

"That's the tone you only use when you're at your wit's end," Matt laughed. "When you're so frustrated you feel like your head is going to explode. So what's eating you?"

She never could get anything passed Matt. He'd always told her she was a lousy liar, her voice always giving her away. "It gets higher when you're trying to overcompensate," he'd tell her, before saying she lacked the ability to bluff as well, a sad fact that led to far too many foiled plans and botched coverups in her time. "You're a lousy liar, Caroline," he'd laugh. "I always know."

But he didn't always know...that was the real kicker, wasn't it? Maybe she had been a better liar than either of them thought...

Caroline sighed in frustration, running a hand down her face against the unwanted memory and Matt's uncanny obversation. "It's just...this guy."

"This guy?" he echoed, and she sighed again as she launched into the tale of Klaus and the dress that had sparked her fury. She told him about her roommate and the other people who had all told her exactly what she knew, but refused to believe, and how he'd done nothing but smile and flirt and refuse to take the dress back when she'd stormed into his office.

She'd expected her oldest friend's support when she finally stopped to catch her breath. She was caught off guard when she heard his laughter instead.

"Caroline, seriously, you need to chill out," he told her, and so clearly in her head she could see him laughing and shaking his head, his all American smile bright on his face. "It's a pile of material, and a piece of paper with some words on it. It's not that big of a deal."

She opened her mouth to argue, but he continued on, well aware of her intent to dispute with him.

"Look, you wanted to start fresh. You wanted to become someone new. This is your chance, Caroline. You can't be afraid forever. You can't keep looking over your shoulder. You need people. You're seriously the most social person I know, and I know it's gotta be killing you not to be right now. And it sounds like you've got people there that can...I don't know...maybe help you start rebuilding what you lost here." He was quiet for a moment, before his voice softened. "Don't let yourself stay lost. That would be a worse crime than anything else we've ever done."

xxxxxxx

Matt's words followed her the entire way back to her apartment.

They hadn't said much else after Matt told her to keep fighting for who she used to be. A long silence had stretched between them before an older gentlemen had made his way towards her, a few loose coins twisting around his fingers, his wrinkled face smiling at her as he asked if she was about finished. She'd returned a hesitant smile, telling Matt that she'd be in touch again whenever she could, wishing him good luck and a whispered goodbye.

The pang in her chest as she hung up the phone had been piercing, a constant fear that perhaps she wouldn't speak to him again. Things could change so quickly...she knew that better than anyone.

The apartment was quiet when she came home, the tv off across the room and Bonnie's dirty dishes soaking in the sink. She'd tossed her keys onto the side table and pulled off her denim jacket, hanging it across the coat rack behind the door. She ran a hand through her hair as she surveyed the apartment, taking a step towards the back hallway before her eyes fell on a familiar package sitting on the kitchen table once again.

"Seriously?" she said quietly, her feet dragging across the floor as she made her way into the kitchen. It sat just like it had that morning, ribbon retied and the familiar card tucked nicely underneath, though this time there was an additional sheet of paper lying neatly on top.

**Don't be such a Debbie Downer.**

**Wear the frock and suck it up.**

**There's fun to be had.**

**-The Other Brother**

Kol's sloppy handwriting pulled a smile from her as she skimmed the note, a quiet laugh escaping her lips as she set aside and let her fingers trace the loops of the ribbon. Matt's words echoed in her head once more.

_"Don't let yourself stay lost."_

The package slid off the table and into her hands as she sighed, turning and making her way towards her room, a renewed determination in her step.

xxxxxxxx

**So, once again, sorry there wasn't a ton of Klaroline interaction in this one, but I can guarantee the next chapter will be chalk full of them. But hopefully you enjoyed the Kennett scenes as much as I enjoyed writing them, and my brief play on canon details. Next up we have Bonnie's birthday party, which is sure to be a good time. We'll also be meeting the rest of the Mikaelson clan, we'll see a bit more Declan, and Klaroline galore.**

**Do leave me your feedback and let me know what you loved-or hated. I always enjoy reading them.**

**Follow me on Tumblr: klarolineepiclove**


	6. Chapter 6

**Fallen**

**Chapter Six**

**A.N. Thank you my lovely readers for all of your wonderful feedback for the last chapter! I'm glad everyone liked the little Klaroline confrontation, because it was a particular favorite of mine to write. **

**As I promised, this chapter is chalk full of Klaroline goodness, so I hope that you enjoy!**

**Longest chapter yet!**

**Thanks to Becky, Miranda and Leah for all their help!**

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"How come I never get to go to your parties?"

Klaus laughed quietly, smiling at the reflection of his son behind him as he diligently fastened the cuffs of his white button down shirt.

Declan was sitting cross legged in the center of his bed, his hands fiddling with the wheels of a toy car, a perfect pout on his face as he stared glumly at his father. His blonde curls were in disarray atop his small head, the sleeves of his Spider-Man pajamas bunched up around his elbows.

Klaus shrugged, turning towards him as tucked the tails of his shirt into the waistband of his black dress trousers, his eyebrows raising as he met the boy's gaze. "There's not much to see," he tried to placate, fighting the grin that threatened to spread forth when his son's frown deepened. "Lots of mindless chit chat and not a toy in sight. You'd be bored senseless, son." He sighed, stopping at the edge of the bed and slipping his hands into his pockets. "Come now, enough with the pouting. You know that when you're old enough you'll be able to come if you want to, but you're really not missing out on anything."

Declan sighed, his shoulders sagging. "But Caroline will be there," he pointed out sadly. "Uncle Kol told me that she was coming to Bonnie's party, and I haven't seen her in a long time."

"You just saw her less than two days ago, Declan," he laughed, sitting on the edge of the bed and angling his body so he could face his son. "And you know not to completely trust Uncle Kol's word. There's no guarantee that Caroline is even going to show up."

He certainly hoped she did, however. He could still clearly see the fire in her eyes as she'd confronted him yesterday, her blonde curls flying around her shoulders as she ranted and raved at him. She'd tossed his gift in his face and flat out refused it, stating quite plainly that she wasn't looking for handouts or to be bought off. Neither of which was his intention, of course, but he couldn't deny that he had enjoyed seeing her in her element. Full of fire and spirit, her words strong and forceful. It had been such a contrast to the quiet, subdued Caroline he had interacted with in the past.

It was quite clear that she was a force to be reckoned with; and at that, one he certainly wanted to reckon with.

The bed shifted underneath him, and his train of thought was cut off as he glanced over to see Declan stretching his legs out in front of him, his toes curling into the comforter as his bare feet stuck out from beneath the pant legs of his PJs. "But do I have to eat Jane Anne's gumbo?"

Klaus' lips twitched. "What's wrong with her gumbo?"

"I just don't like gumbo."

"No one really likes gumbo, mate," Kol said as he waltzed into the room, grinning when his nephew turned his sad puppy dog face towards him. "What's with the long face? You get the whole house to yourself tonight while Jane Anne catches up on her_ Charmed_ reruns and attempts to read the runes or whatever she does. You've got it made, champ. Not to mention," he added, twirling a finger in the air before jabbing it in his direction, a wicked grin on his face. "A late night party tonight for us means cake for breakfast for you."

Klaus scoffed as he rose to his feet, crossing the room and picking up the folded suit jacket that was draped across an arm chair. "It most certainly doesn't," he stated, glaring at his younger brother once he caught the intrigued glimmer in Declan's eyes. "Lunch, perhaps, but breakfast is out of the question." He turned towards the mirror as he shrugged into his jacket, rolling his eyes as he saw Kol purse his lips and nod his head once his back was turned, giving the small boy a discreet thumbs up, eliciting a bright smile on the child's face. He shook his head, turning around and looking at the two of them. "Shouldn't you be off making sure the preparations are underway? This whole frenzy was your idea, after all."

"It was Bekah's as well," Kol replied, plopping down next to Declan on the bed and resting on his elbows. He was dressed much like Klaus, in a black suit with the jacket unbuttoned and hanging loosely around his chest. He'd forgone a tie, opting instead to leave the top three buttons of his gray dress shirt undone. His hair was slicked back neatly and his face freshly shaven.

Say what you will about Kol Mikaelson, but he went out of his way to make an impression when it came to Bonnie Bennett.

"She's there now, making sure everything's going off without a hitch. She claimed I'd only ruin everything anyway, so I'll let her do all the heavy lifting and then just take all the credit."

"Story of your lives," Klaus remarked with a smirk. He straightened the collar of his jacket as he looked towards his son. "Deck, why don't you head on downstairs now with Jane Anne? We'll be leaving soon."

Declan slid off the bed, his toy car clenched in his hands as he looked up at his towering father. "But do I have to eat the gumbo?" he asked, his brown eyes widening with his plea.

Klaus smiled, shaking his head. "No, you don't have to eat the gumbo," he chuckled. "I'll make sure she gives you something else for dinner, alright?"

The boy nodded, dragging his feet as he slowly made his way to the bedroom door, his head hung low. He stopped and turned when his uncle called out to him, glancing over his shoulder.

"Auntie Bekah keeps a carton of Rocky Road stuffed behind the ice pack," Kol winked, laughing when the boy grinned and continued on his way, his light footsteps padding down the hallway and towards the stairs. He looked towards his older brother, shrugging when he saw the look of annoyed disapproval on his face. "Oh, what are you complaining about? Jane Anne's the one who'll have to deal with his sugar rush. He'll be out cold by the time you get home tonight. That is, if you get home," he smirked, swinging himself up into a sitting position. "Who knows where the night may take you and Caroline."

Klaus rolled his eyes, striding the door and into the hallway, flicking the light switch off as he went. He heard the mattress of his bed complain as Kol hoisted himself to his feet, his steps lunging after him to catch up as he rounded the banister of the stairs.

"Such a Doubting Thomas, Nik," Kol clucked, shaking his head as he followed his brother down the stairs. "Don't think you're fooling anyone, brother. After your grand gesture of the dress and subsequent invitation to this night's festivities, you'll be lucky if that blind soothsayer down in the Quarter doesn't see your obvious infatuation. Not that it's unwarranted," he shrugged, hopping the last step and landing his feet on the ground with a thud, an eternal child. "She is a tasty little thing."

He stumbled back a step when Klaus whirled on him unexpectedly, a glare on his face and his jaw clenched. He grinned, holding up his hands and taking a step back. "Clearly I hit a nerve," he taunted.

"Go on, then," Klaus remarked, tilting his head and narrowing his glare. "Continue on with your insightful observations. See how long your tongue remains in your mouth."

"Easy, Niklaus. You know I just like to rile you up. And you also know that I only have eyes for one particular luscious beauty who will be at the party tonight, and she doesn't resemble Caroline in the slightest. Though, if I were you, I'd make sure my eyes were on the lookout for the blonde in question. Something tells me she won't be lacking of male companionship tonight once she steps foot into the hotel." He grinned, unrepentantly when he saw his brother's eye twitch slightly at the mention of any other man with Caroline. He reached out and clasped his brother on the shoulder. "See you there, big brother."

Klaus tried to ignore the sudden feeling of jealousy that erupted in him at the picture his brother had painted. While it was true he held no claim whatsoever over Caroline, the idea of her with any other man wasn't one he could stomach. The idea of her smiling at anyone else, dancing in the arms of someone who wasn't him...

He cleared his throat, shaking his head as he turned on his heel, following the sounds of Jane Anne and Declan's voices coming from the kitchen. He walked in to find them seated at the long island, a large bowl of ice cream situated between them, spoons at the ready to dive back in. His son was clearly wearing half of the dairy mixture on his face, and he sighed, crossing his arms over his chest and silently cursing his younger brother, for both this and the thoughts that wouldn't stop plaguing his mind.

Declan looked up at him from his spoon, an innocent look on his face as he shrugged, and shoveled another bite into his mouth.

"Uncle Kol said I could."

Those words would send him to an early grave, he swore it.

xxxxxxx

Caroline straightened the skirt of her dress for the tenth time as she stepped out of the cab, staring up at the intimidating structure before her in all its historical beauty. The sound of old time jazz music poured from the arching entryways, the sweeping canopy boasting the name Hotel Monteleone towering above her. The white brick and mortar were enchanting, and her eyes widened as she tilted her head back, taking in every floor and window as they seemed to stretch to the skies.

Her feet carried her towards the entrance where a man in a top hat and tails pulled the door open for her, bowing his head with a smile that she returned hesitantly, the extravagance of the whole night suddenly hitting her head on. She was reminded once more of Cami's observation that the Mikaelsons never did anything low-key, and as she stepped into the lobby of the hotel and her eyes took in the flurry of activity, she realized just how non low key she meant.

Like the outside of the hotel, the inside was floor to ceiling white. Crystal chandeliers seemed to cascade from the ceiling, and marble pillars accented every hallway and doorway. White lights cast a glow through the room as she traveled along, her gloved hands tangling themselves into her skirts as she peered around in wonder.

Music poured from every crevice it seemed, and the crowds of people laughed and danced, their hands full of champagne and various finger foods. There were seas of elegant dresses and pressed tuxedos-black, white, red, blue, green, every color she deemed imaginable seemed to flock throughout the rooms.

Across the room, she spotted the carousel bar Cami had mentioned, and a wide smile spread across her face. The bar itself was just like it sounded, but instead of the familiar horses and carriages she remembered riding in her childhood, there stood a dozen wing backed chairs around the circular bar counter, each draped with thick velvet fabric with intricate designs stitched in. A smiling bartender tended to the patrons seated in the chairs, his shoulders and hips shaking to the tune of the music as he poured drink after drink, his eyes dancing with the magic of the night.

And it truly was magical, Caroline decided, folding her hands in front of her as she stepped off to the side. It was a like a fairytale kingdom for grownups.

"Caroline!"

The sound of Bonnie's ecstatic voice off to her side drew her attention, and she turned her head, smiling when she saw her roommate heading towards her in a sea of midnight blue that contoured to her form. The strapless dress showed off her slim shoulders, her caramel skin shimmering with a soft blush of body powder. Her long dark hair was pinned at the side of her neck, cascading over her shoulders in flawless curls. A sparkling necklace adorned her neck, encrusted with diamonds as they encircled an oval shaped jewel in the same divine shade of her dress.

"Bonnie, you look beautiful!" Caroline gushed, leaning into the other girl as she wrapped her arms around her. She closed her eyes as Bonnie's grip tightened around her, and she realized how much she'd missed this-actual contact with other people, with no ulterior motive at all.

"So do you," Bonnie replied as she pulled away, a bright smile on her face. She arched an eyebrow knowingly, her eyes darting down Caroline's form. "Nice dress."

Caroline rolled her eyes, scoffing softly under her breath, trying to keep the blush from spreading across her face.

In the end, she'd swallowed her pride and slipped into the extravagant dress, relishing in the feel of the fabric gliding softly against her skin. It turned out to be a perfect fit, a fact that she didn't dwell too much on-"a thin line between sweet and creepy" resounding in her head-and she'd spent several moments just spinning in front of her mirror, watching the skirt swish and swirl around her feet.

She'd swept her hair up into an high updo, letting a few wisps of curls frame her face softly.

"I didn't really have time to shop," she joked, laughing when the other girl rolled her eyes and shook her head. She smiled, lifting her eyes to the sparkling ceiling. "This is amazing. It's so beautiful in here."

Bonnie's reply was cut short when Kol suddenly came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his cheek against hers, his devilish smirk in place and his eyes roaming over Caroline in intrigue. "Well, well," he crooned. "Look at our little country bumpkin now. You look stunning, sweet Caroline. New dress?" He grinned when she narrowed her eyes playfully. "It's good to see your stick in the mud phase has passed. What do you think?"

"It's very...overwhelming," Caroline replied, nodding as her eyes lingered on the carousel bar once more. "But it's very beautiful. You did well, Kol."

"Rebekah did most of it," Bonnie replied, smirking at Kol when he glared at her in mock outrage. "But it's the thought that counts." She pressed a kiss to his cheek, lacing her fingers with his across her abdomen. She turned back to Caroline, smiling. "You should take a look around. This place is literally the ritziest place I've ever step foot in, and I've been gaping all night. It's extraordinary."

Caroline watched them walk off arm in arm, Bonnie tucked securely into Kol's side, his mouth pressed to her ear. Bonnie's soft giggling followed their steps, and Caroline couldn't help but smile wistfully after them.

She sighed as she laced her fingers together in front of her, her eyes traveling over the crowd once more before landing on the figure across the room, her breath stalling in her throat.

Klaus stood next to a refreshment table, laden with an assortment of desserts and snacks that looked as if it could feel an army. His back was to her as he talked animatedly with Stefan Salvatore, who had shed the police uniform for a snug fitting tux that showcased his broad shoulders and toned forearms. A smile was on his face as he listened to whatever Klaus was saying, his jaw working steadily as he munched on some kind of chocolate covered confection.

Cami stood next to him, her slim form sheathed in a pale yellow gown that reached her calves before billowing out in a short train behind her, coming to a fluttering stop just above her high heeled shoes. Her hair was slicked back into a neat French twist at the base of her neck, a sparkling barrett gleaming in the dim lighting of the ballroom. She was watching the two men converse with mild interest, lips upturned into a polite smile, before her eyes landed on her across the room, and her smile grew. She nodded towards her, shifting her glass of champagne to one hand and motioning for her to join them with the other.

Klaus turned just then, seeing Cami's distraction, and his eyes found her across the room. His lips parted when his gaze met hers, and she saw the hint of a smile tugging at them, a knowing glint in his eyes as they raked over her from a distance.

Squaring her shoulders, she made her way towards them, keeping her arms straight at her sides, flexing her fingers to keep them from fiddling with her skirt nervously as she kept her gaze fixed on the blonde haired man across the room. Her steps faltered when he suddenly started for her, meeting her halfway, his eyes sparkling as they took her in.

"Good evening," he said softly, a shiver coursing down in Caroline's spine at the huskiness of his deep voice.

She blinked at him, her mouth opening and closing as she searched her brain for something to say before settling on a small smile, tilting her head towards him and rolling her eyes slightly. His smile only seemed to spread, and he bowed his head slightly to her, stepping off to the side and motioning for her to move ahead of him.

"Damn, girl, don't you clean up well?" Cami noted, laughing as they approached, smacking Stefan's chest with the back of her hand. "Look at her, would you even guess that just a few short hours ago, she was a meek little barfly?"

Stefan smiled warmly at Caroline, nodding in greeting. "You look beautiful, Caroline," he said. "I'm glad to see you here, though. We were actually getting ready to start taking bets on if you were actually going to show or not." Cami smacked him again, and he looked over at her, affronted. "What?"

Cami only scoffed, shaking her head, while Klaus chuckled quietly next to Caroline, his hands clasped behind his back as he turned his head towards her. "Can I offer you a drink?"

Caroline looked at him, her heart skipping at this earnest, hopeful expression, and once more Matt's words echoed in her head. She shrugged, smiling a soft, reserved smile, and nodded. "Yeah...thanks."

Klaus seemed to pause for a moment, a flash of pleasant surprise appearing in his eyes, before he nodded, lips twitching. He held her gaze as he turned away, quietly asking Cami and Stefan if he could get them anything as well, and when they both responded in the negative, he turned to move away.

Caroline watched him go for a moment, before reaching out a hand, calling his name. He stopped, looking at her over his shoulder, his brows raised in question, and she shrugged. "And um...thanks...for the dress."

She watched the surprise spread across his face, his smirk slipping into a content smile, as his own eyes searched her face. There was an earnestness written across it, and an unspoken apology for her behavior the previous day, and whatever else he seemed to find there was enough to have his smile grow once more, his head bobbing as he continued on towards the bar.

Caroline watched him go, not even able to fight the identical smile that appeared on her own face.

xxxxxx

"Well, well...look who finally decided to show?"

Caroline attention had been riveted on the crystal chandelier dangling above her head, but at the sound of the teasing voice behind her she turned and smiled, watching as Rebekah sashayed her way towards her, her bright yellow ball gown swishing around her feet as he moved. Her long blonde tresses were bustled at the side of her neck, pouring over her shoulder in waves. She looked like Cinderella, stepped right out of her fairytale book.

"Better late than never, right?" she asked, shrugging and lifting her glass of champagne in greeting. Klaus had returned to her side with the bubbly drink, but had just as quickly been called away by a former acquaintance. He'd left with an apologetic look and a sigh, promising to find her as soon as he was done.

She'd almost been relieved as she'd watched his departing figure, grasping at the chance to finally take a breath and let her thoughts ponder of the events of the last few days. She'd tossed back her delicate glass of champagne, ignoring Stefan's impressed head bob as she downed it in one gulp, before quickly reaching for another off a tray of a passing waiter.

She'd stood and chatted with Cami for a few moments before excusing herself, using the extravagance of the hotel as an excuse to wander off and think. Her eyes had poured over the riches of the architecture, noting the moldings and the towering arches, every modern aged renovation that only seemed to enhance the old time feel of the hotel.

She'd found herself questioning her actual motives for being here tonight. Was she really here to take a stand against her fear, like Matt had encouraged her to do? To take back her life and start anew? Was she here for herself, or was she here for the blonde haired man that had seemed to invade her thoughts so presently as of late?

She was wearing his dress, after all. The dress that he'd bought her for this very occasion, a dress he had practically admitted was a play for her affection, a realization that brought on an entire new round of thoughts and fears.

Did she even want his affections? She admitted that there was a certain thrill that came with every encounter with Klaus Mikaelson. There was a kind of innocence to their quiet flirting and subdued glances. But even in those, there was something more that lied beneath. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on, but it often left her mind reeling and her heart racing. A sense of near calmness that nearly had her gasping for breath.

Shaking herself from her thoughts, she smiled as Rebekah stopped at her side, the diamonds in her bracelet shining underneath the lights of the chandelier. She watched the other blonde's blue eyes pass over her in approval, her lips puckering slightly as she nodded. "Nik did well, didn't he?"

Caroline frowned. "You knew he was buying me a dress?"

Rebekah shrugged. "He came to me for advice. He's not exactly an expert on women's fashion, and this just happens to be one my earlier designs in evening wear." She smiled proudly at the look of surprise that passed across Caroline's face.

"I certainly wasn't going to let him just go out and purchase the first off the rack frock he came across that he deemed pretty. He wanted to make an impact after all." She shrugged, lifting her martini glass to her lips. "Clearly he did."

Caroline gaped at her, and Rebekah only rolled her eyes, reaching and grasping ahold of her wrist to pull her after her.

"Come on. You've met Nik and Kol, you may as well meet the rest of our brood as well."

Caroline let her pull her through the crowd, her eyes staying trained on the way the blonde hair seemed to bounce along Rebekah's shoulders, instead of on the dozens of eyes she could feel following their every step.

It hadn't escaped her notice that the Mikaelsons appeared to be a very well known family in New Orleans, at least in the districts she'd been to they were well known. They couldn't seem to pass a single person without at least one of them calling out to Rebekah in greeting. She was reminded of how Klaus had seemed to be called away quite quickly as well, and she made a mental note to ask Bonnie more about the family's involvement in the city.

She and Rebekah came to a stop after a while, and Caroline watched as the other blonde tapped a tall broad shouldered man on the shoulder, his dark haired head turning around quickly to face them. Dark brown eyes traveled from his sister's face to Caroline's, a friendly smile spreading across his face as he lowered his wine glass and turned to face them more fully.

"Caroline, this our eldest brother, Elijah," Rebekah introduced, smiling fondly at the man in sisterly devotion.

"So this is the elusive Caroline," Elijah said pleasantly, his smile widening as he took a step towards her, extending his hand. "Elijah Mikaelson. It's nice to finally meet the young woman who seems to have put my family in pleasant disarray."

Caroline laughed as she shook his hand, tamping down the bout of nervousness that erupted when she remembered Bonnie saying the eldest brother was a sheriff. She forced herself to remain calm, keeping in mind that Stefan never blinked when he'd met her, and Matt had told her himself that things back home were quiet, so really she had nothing to worry about, right?

"I don't know about disarray," she laughed.

"Well, I don't think there's a more appropriate word for just how much more irritatingly invasive Kol has become, or how animated my young nephew is every time he mentions his new friend Caroline," Elijah shrugged, smiling. "It's not to be taken in a negative form at all, believe me. It's more a compliment, if anything."

Caroline smiled, wrapping an arm around her waist as she swiped at one of the curls brushing against her cheek. "Well, thank you. They're all quite something."

"'Something.' Thank you for putting it so delicately," he chuckled, turning when a dark haired woman came up behind him, her hand softly grazing his suit covered back, and he smiled, grasping her hand in his and bringing her to his side, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Caroline, may I introduce my wife, Katherine? Sweetheart, this is Caroline."

Katherine Mikaelson was just as fierce as she was beautiful, seeming to carry herself with an air of superiority and grace that left Caroline envious. She was tall and statuesque, with olive skin and piercing brown eyes that seemed to take in and critique everything around her. She stood tall and proud next to Elijah, her thin and fit form swathed in a vibrant red. The ball gown was bright and ostentatious, layers and layers of fabric wrapping around her chest and abdomen in a strapless fit before flaring out at the waist, in layers of ruffled tulle.

Long dark chestnut curls fell across her shoulders and down her back in waves, adding at least another inch to her already towering height. A black feather hairpiece sat nestled in the mess of curls, a pair of teardrop diamond earrings dangling from her ears, matching the sparkling necklace that hung from around her neck.

Her eyes were lined with dark liner and smokey eyeshadow, her lips painted a deep blood red as they quirked up in contemplation, and she tilted her head as she rested a hand on top of Elijah's against her abdomen.

"It's nice to meet you," she finally said, her voice lilting and pronounced. "We've heard quite a bit about you, between Declan and Kol. It's nice to finally put a face to all the mentions."

From the corner of her eye, Caroline could see Rebekah rolling her eyes, lifting her glass to her lips and taking a large gulp. Her lips twitched as she fought against a smile, and she nodded towards Katherine. "It's nice to meet you as well, Katherine. Your dress is stunning."

Katherine smirked, one hand reaching down to run across the layers of her skirt. "Thank you," she said smugly, side eying Rebekah and tossing her curls over her shoulder. "I always did say that if you were going to make an impression, make it well." She laughed under her breath, turning to her husband with a smile and tilting up her chin. "Elijah, Trevor and Rose are looking for you. Something about the upcoming council meeting or something like that. They asked me to come fetch you."

Elijah nodded, tightening his arm around her waist. "Of course," he said, looking at Caroline with an apologetic smile. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm afraid duty calls. But it truly was a pleasure to meet you, Caroline. I do hope our paths will cross once more, soon."

Caroline smiled, nodding, and watched as he pressed a quick kiss to Rebekah's cheek before turning and heading into the crowd, his hand capturing Katherine's as she moved to follow him. The brunette cast a last smile over her shoulder-a smile that was much less welcoming than her husband's-before falling into step with Elijah.

Rebekah scoffed as soon as they were out of earshot, her shoulder brushing Caroline's as she moved to her side. "I don't know what my brother sees in that trollop," she muttered quietly. "She's brash and unsophisticated. Who honestly shows up in a flashy dress like that, to a birthday party no less, one that isn't even for her?" She shook her head, crossing her arms across her chest and balancing her glass in her fingertips. "What I wouldn't give to rip those hair extensions from her head..."

Caroline laughed, looking over at her. "No love lost between you two, I take it?"

Rebekah sighed. "I've never cared for her. Not from the moment Elijah brought her home, and no more now that they're married. She's uncouth and rude. And while she may show a softer side that only my brother can see, she certainly doesn't win any points with me by being so ridiculously ostentatious and undermining Bonnie's celebration." She sighed again, looking over at her. "Well, let's not just stand here. There's an open bar going to waste, and the party's barely started."

xxxxxxxx

He'd been following with his eyes the entire evening.

He couldn't take his gaze off of her. She truly was breathtaking, the blue of her dress seeming to only bring out the attributes that had him mesmerized already. She stood proud and tall amongst the throngs of people, her smile unwavering, and every time he'd catch a glimpse of her sparkling blue eyes, there was that odd tightness in his chest that came with every thought of her.

She hadn't left his sister's side since she'd cornered her an hour ago. She stood off to the side with Rebekah now, a glass of champagne in her hand as they watched the waltzing couples glide across the marble dance floor. He tried not to let his irritation with his little sister get the better of him-he should have known, after all, that once Rebekah had caught wind of Caroline, she would stop at nothing until she'd learned everything she could about her.

Now if only he could be so lucky...

After he'd managed to slip away from Greta and Luka, a pair of siblings whose work he'd once showcased when they were just starting out, he'd quickly been accosted by Sophie Devereaux herself, eager to find out anything she could about her upcoming showcase and the buzz that it may have been circulating.

Klaus couldn't help but to assuage the young girl's worries, easily recognizing a fear that he'd felt more times than he'd care to admit when he'd branched out with his own artwork. He'd assured her that her showcase was sure to be a success, and they had several art buyers and collectors coming to the city just for the occasion. He'd smiled and patted her shoulder when she sighed in relief, promising to get in touch with her at the start of the week to go over any final details, and he'd turned away, his eyes searching the crowd for the familiar head of blonde curls.

He found her by herself this time, her head tilted back as she peered up at the intricate ceiling, taking in every etched groove and design. He couldn't help but admire the curve of her neck as she gazed, or the small smile of wonder that spread across her face the longer her attention was riveted on the ceiling.

Not wanting to startle her, he cleared his throat as he approached her side, smiling when her eyes met his and her smile seemed to brighten slightly.

"You're certainly quite popular," she teased, clasping her hands in front of her as she turned to face him.

He laughed, running a hand absentmindedly through his hair. "Art business. Settle in the city that boasts the best artists of our time, and you're bound to get hassled no matter where you are." He stepped closer to her, his hands sliding into the pockets of his pants. "I've noticed you and my sister have been spending a lot of time together this evening. Enjoying yourself, love?"

Caroline shrugged. "It's quite the shindig," she laughed. "Honestly this is probably the most extravagant party I've ever been to. I feel a little out of my element, so having Rebekah there to hold my hand was kind of a relief. I'm terrified I'm going to drink out of the wrong cup or trip a waiter or something." She smiled, shrugging her shoulders as she tore her gaze away from him and searched the crowd absentmindedly, watching couples sway back and forth to a slow jazz song. "So, where's your mini-me tonight?"

"Home with a sitter," Klaus replied with a soft laugh. "And quite put out by it, at that." He peered at her from the corner of his eyes, watching her profile as her gaze followed the dancing couples. A soft, bittersweet smile was playing on her lips, an unspoken hint of sadness in her ocean blue eyes. It caught him off guard-there was that tugging in his chest again. That need to make every frown and sad emotion disappear from her face. He turned her to her, tilting his head towards the dance floor. "Would you care to join me for a dance?"

There was a flicker of hesitation in her eyes as she quickly glanced back at the dance floor, her lower lip caught between her teeth as she followed each couple once more. It was almost as if she was overwhelmed by the concept of joining the dancing crowd.

"Or perhaps a walk?" he suggested after a moment. "A bit of fresh air? There's a courtyard just outside, it's quite spectacular to see."

Relief seemed to flow from her at his words, a grateful smile appearing on her face as she nodded slowly, moving to follow him when he made a motion to lead the way.

Klaus was very conscious of her soft footsteps next to him, and the way their shoulders brushed against each other as they weaved their way around the bustling crowds. He nodded politely at various acquaintances who called to him as they passed, but his attention stayed focused on the blonde at his side, his hand coming to rest against her lower back as he pulled open the glass door that led out into the courtyard behind the hotel.

The music from inside muffled as soon as the door slid shut behind them, and it was as if a weight was lifted from Caroline's shoulders as the cool hair brushed her skin and the muted sounds of the Louisiana city whispered around her. She turned, her eyes finally taking in the courtyard around them.

Klaus hadn't been exaggerating when he said it was spectacular. The courtyard itself was almost as magnificent as the hotel itself. Unblemished gray and red bricks zigzagged across the ground, creating an almost labyrinth effect with the way they crisscrossed and extended away from each other. Muted overhead lights were strategically placed around the building, illumintating the wrought iron benches that lined the walkways and the the perfectly trimmed trees and plants.

There was a flowing fountain in the center of everything, water trickling from the hands of a perfectly sculpted woman, her body turned upwards in a graceful poise. It cascaded down into the circular pool beneath her, rippling and flowing, the moonlight casting shadows across the watery surface.

Klaus and Caroline fell into step with each other as they started down one of the paths, their heels clicking against the cement. She peered at him from the corner of her eyes, noting his thoughtful expression as his eyes drifted up to the night sky. His hands were clasped behind his back as they walked, his gait slow and steady to accommodate her shorter legs.

"Thanks," she said softly, laughing under her breath as she shook her head. "I needed some air, it was just...weirdly suffocating in there for some reason."

Klaus chuckled. "Understandable. My family aren't quite known for doing anything low-key, as I'm sure you've come to realize. It can be quite overwhelming for anyone."

Caroline laughed, looking at him as she bunched a fistful of skirt in her hand, lifting it slightly and arching an eyebrow in his direction. "Gee, you don't say." He laughed then, a short, almost embarassed laugh, and the smile that crossed his face was almost enough to catch her breath. Shaking her head, she let the dress settled around her legs again, clasping her hands in front of her. "You Mikaelsons sure know how to make your intentions known."

"And what intentions would those be, love?" he asked, a smile in his voice.

Caroline's steps halted and she turned to face him, watching as his eyes seemed to scour her face. "You tell me," she answered quietly, not quite sure if she really wanted to know his answer. After all, there was a difference in entertaining the fanciful notion and finding out that it's not so much a notion as it is a fact.

They seemed to stare at each other for a long moment before Klaus shrugged, his gaze drifting towards the landscape around them as he smiled. "I fancy you," he stated quite plainly. He looked back to see her looking at her almost worriedly, a dozen different emotions warring across her face. "You're beautiful, you're strong, you're...full of light. As odd as that sounds, it's the most justified way I can describe the pure...luminance I see when I'm around you." He shrugged again. "I enjoy you, quite simply."

She shook her head slightly, sighing as she shifted on her feet. "You don't even know me."

"Oh, I don't know about that," he said, smiling when she looked at him inquisitively. "For instance, I know that you have quite the temper." He chuckled when her eyes narrowed, but he continued on. "You pride yourself on making it on your own, hence why you initially found the idea of the dress so loathsome. You're able to stomach my younger brother, a feat that is quite impressive in itself. You hold your own against Rebekah, who's been known to be quite mean, and you're able to sit as a little boy spouts off random facts about an animal he's never even seen other than on the Discovery Channel, and you do it with the utmost patience." He sighed, lowering his chin and looking at her. "You can't blame me for being fascinated."

"I like talking to Declan," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "And Kol and Rebekah, they're just..." She sighed, trailing off and looking at him once more.

"Why are you so resistant to get closer to me, Caroline?"

"I'm not," she argued, knowing that it was a lie but unable to admit how much she wished she wasn't.

"Then talk to me," he dared, spreading his arms out at his side. "Let me get to know you; get to know me, and then decide if you're still so hesitant."

He could see her wrestling with herself, weighing her options-the pros and the cons of continuing with their line of conversation-and he watched her reactions anxiously, nearly sighing out loud with relief when she seemed to give in.

A sigh escaped her lips even as she smiled softly, rolling her eyes as they continued on their way down the path. "What do you want to talk about?"

"You."

She barked out a soft laugh, and he grinned, shrugging his shoulders as he slipped his hands into the pocket of his trousers.

"Your hopes, your dreams...everything you want in life." When she only shook her head and giggled, he shrugged, pursing his lips playfully. "Too heavy of a subject for a get-to-know-you conversation? Alright then, how about we stick to the easy simple questions, then? What brings you to New Orleans?"

Caroline shrugged, tucking a strand of curl behind her ear. "Just...wanted something new," she answered carefully, looking over at him. His gaze was fixed on her, and she could feel her face flush under his attention. "New Orleans just seemed so...alive. I figured it was as good a place as any to start over."

Klaus nodded. "A clean slate."

"Yeah, I guess. What about you? I'm judging by the accent that your family aren't originally from here?"

"You'd assume correctly," he answered with a smile. "My family and I originated in London. We moved around quite a bit, all over England, and eventually started making our way over to the States. Both of our parents were very into the business world, what with stocks and trading and all that. Our mother fell in love with beauty of this city, and after years of summer visits and extended holidays, we uprooted ourselves and have been here ever since. We've gone back to England a few times since then, but Louisiana has been home for us for quite awhile."

"Where are your parents now?" Caroline asked.

Klaus was quiet for a long moment before he cleared his throat. "They're gone now," he said gruffly. "A car accident about ten years ago. Our younger brother, Henrick, was in the car with them when they went over a guardrail." His chest tightened at the mention of their late brother, images of Henrik's eleven year old face smiling up at him as he showed off some new trick on his bicycle or telling him about his science fair project.

Caroline could tell he was awashed in memories as she looked at his face. It was an expression she was all too familiar with. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, watching as he was snapped out of his reverie with her words, his head shaking and his throat clearing as he straightened his shoulders.

"It was a long time ago," he replied just as quietly.

She shrugged. "That still doesn't make it hurt any less."

Klaus turned to look at her, seeing the genuine sympathy and understanding on her moonlit face, and he nodded, turning his gaze back to the walkway as they continued on. "No, I suppose it doesn't," he conceded. He cleared his throat again, uncomfortable with their line of questioning had resulted, and determined to get back on the subject of her. "Where are you from?"

"A small town," she answered. "In the middle of nowhere, with not a lot to see. And it's somewhere I never really want to go back to."

There was a heaviness behind her cryptic response, and Klaus found himself wondering what could have possibly driven away a person as strong as the lovely blonde at his side.

They'd circled the courtyard at least twice as they continued talking, the sounds of the party inside all but forgotten as they smiled and laughed together. He found out that she'd been a cheerleader in high school, and head of nearly every committee she could get her hands on. She talked about how she'd always wanted to travel, but New Orleans was the furthest she'd ever gone. She wanted to see the world one day, to which he'd confidently responded that he would take her, a statement that had her scoffing and laughing all at once.

_"Wherever you want. Rome, Paris, Tokyo. The world is at your fingertips."_

She'd only laughed and shook her head, her hand reaching out to playfully push his shoulder. He'd grinned, his laughter mixing with hers.

She never revealed too much, he realized. Her answers, as sincere as they appeared, were short and too the point, never much detail to them. Despite how much more relaxed she seemed around him, she was still holding him at arm's length.

It was frustrating, but he knew that this was just a start. Caroline Forbes was a careful woman. She was stubborn and clear headed, not one to simply fall over after a brief round of flirtatious banter and moonlit walks.

If cryptic answers and shy smiles were all he would get just then, he would gladly take them. After all, you had to walk before you could leap, right?

They were stopped back where they started, in front of the large glass doors that led back into the ballroom. Caroline could see the crowds still dancing and laughing inside, the music now a fast paced pop ballad that had the bartenders dancing and the couples laughing.

"The party's still raging," she laughed.

Klaus sighed, glancing over his shoulder. "If Kol has his way, it will go clear into daybreak," he said, casting a furtive glance at the watch on his wrist, noting the time with a smile. "Though my attendance won't last quite that long. With the amount of sugar Declan consumed before I left, I can only image that Jane Anne will have one foot out the door before I'm even inside the house."

Caroline giggled. "Sugar fiend, huh?"

"He's much like Kol in that aspect, much to my objected horror."

Caroline winced playfully, shaking her head. She laughed quietly again, her eyes searching his face as her teeth caught her lower lip again, nibbling at the skin there in brief consideration before she voiced her next question. "And what about Declan's mom? She's...not around, I take it?" He looked at her, a flash of something she couldn't quite pinpoint crossing his gaze. "I just mean that I noticed all of your siblings here, so clearly they're not, you know, taking care of Declan. And you mentioned having a sitter, so I just..."

Klaus sighed, a biting laugh escaping his lips as he shook his head.. "That's a long story," he said wearily, eying her. "And quite an unpleasant one at that. Not one I particularly enjoy rehashing, Caroline." He watched her gaze drop to the floor as she nodded, her fingers twisting around each other, and he sighed again, cursing silently. "She's not in the picture. Hasn't been for quite some time."

She lifted her gaze back to him. His eyes had darkened, clouded with unknown shadows of another memory he seemed to be wrestling against. There was a detachment to his voice as he spoke, a near emotionless drone, and she couldn't help her curiosity as she asked, "So...she's **not** around."

Klaus sighed again, opening his mouth to reply, but the opening of the door behind them cut him off, and they both turned to see Kol hanging outside the doorway, his eyes hazy and clouded with an abundance of alcohol, a carefree grin on his handsome face as he eyed them happily.

"There you lot are," he cried victoriously. "We're about to cut the cake, so stop loitering suspiciously in the darkness and join the festivities! Honestly, Nik, do you want to cause a ruckus, compromising Caroline's good name by whisking her away to seclusion, where no prying eyes can see?" He tsked under his breath. "People talk, you know."

Caroline could see Klaus gritting his teeth in annoyance, but before he could even utter a word, Kol was letting out a muted yelp and jumping, whirling around to reveal Bonnie behind him, her hand digging into his side painfully as she glared at him in warning.

"Would you leave them be?" she hissed, ignoring the indignant expression on her boyfriend's face as she turned to them apologetically. "I'm sorry, you guys don't have to come in. He's just being an ass and has had way, way too much champagne tonight."

"Well, look who's talking darling," Kol chided childishly at her side, earning another jab from the scowling brunette. "Bloody hell, woman, retract your talons!"

Bonnie rolled her eyes, shoving Kol back into the ballroom. "Like I said, take your time, there's no hurry. There's plenty of cake to go around."

"Yes, but if they keep dilly dallying around, they'll miss my singing to you," Kol whined.

"A sweet mercy for them," Bonnie said after him, dodging his playful shove as she the door shut behind them, muffling her laughter and Kol's continued drunken rant.

They were left in the quiet of the courtyard again, and Caroline found herself shuffling her feet against the brick walkway, a sudden tension between them that seemed to throw them both for a loop.

"We should go in," Klaus finally said, turning to her.

She nodded. "Yeah, something tells me Kol isn't one to give up easily."

He cracked a smile at that, placing his hand at the small of her back once more as he pulled open the door to the ballroom. "Another family trait, it would appear," he said softly, catching her gaze with his own, his smile growing when one appeared on her face after a moment before she ducked her head.

They both headed into the hotel, where the crowd was flanking Bonnie and Kol who stood in the center of the room. Bonnie was smiling in embarrassment as a crew of waiters wheeled out a giant multi layered cake, its numerous candles burning bright on top of the blue and white icing.

Kol had his arms wrapped snuggly around her waist, his face alight with pure joy as he joined the crowd in singing the traditional birthday tune, his lips ghosting against the skin of her cheek as they moved to the lyrics.

Caroline watched the scene with a smile, clapping her hands when the song ended and Bonnie leaned forward, blowing out the candles in one fell swoop before laughing and falling back into Kol's chest. Lacing her fingers together and bringing them to her chest, she peered at Klaus from the corner of her eyes.

He was watching the scene as well, though there was no smile on his face and his eyes seemed a million miles away. She wondered if he was still thinking of Declan's mother, or if his younger brother and parents had drifted into his thoughts again. She recognized the haunted look on his face, a sure sign that unwanted memories were running amok in his head.

She wore that same expression more times than she cared to admit.

He seemed to feel her eyes on him, because his head turned, his gaze catching her own. She smiled at him encouragingly, and he returned it with a small one of his own after a minute, their previous exchange seemingly forgotten as they turned their attention back to Bonnie and her cake, both deciding to join in her happiness, if even just for a night.

xxxxxxxxx

The streets were still alight with activity when Klaus walked Caroline to her cab an hour later.

The crowds from the birthday party were finally dispersing, and after confirming with Bonnie that her roommate would be spending the night at Kol's place, Caroline had told Klaus that she should head home herself.

He'd insisted on calling her a cab, and was now walking her to the curb, both of their steps slow as they watched the numerous people pouring into their own cabs and limos, their inebriated laughter adding the the music and dancing that was still going on around them.

"Well, I think the party was a success," Caroline said as they walked. "Kol pulled it off."

"It was mostly Rebekah," Klaus chimed in with a smile. "Though if you ask Kol, he'll surely take all the credit."

"Of course he will," she laughed, shaking her head. They came to a stop at the curb, the white and red taxi cab idling on the street, the driver waiting with a bored expression on his face as his fingers dancing against the steering wheel to the beat of reggae song playing softly from the speakers. She turned on her heel, taking a surprised step back when Klaus reached out around her to pull open the door. She stepped down off the curb, resting a hand next to his on top of the car door as she looked at him, smiling genuinely up at him. "Well, um..thanks again, for the dress. And for insisting that I come. I'm really glad I did."

Klaus smiled. "Yes, I'm sure Bonnie was very happy you came."

She nodded, brushing a curl off her cheek as she dropped her gaze briefly, taking a deep breath before she raised her eyes again, her shoulders raising in a half shrug. "And you? Are you glad I came too?"

She knew she was treading precariously. She was starting down a path she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to go down, but something was still pulling her towards it. Pulling her towards him.

He was staring down at her, his eyes intense and soft all at the same time. Their deep blue depths were shifting to a light green, and she watched as his lips twitched up into a pleased smile, his dimples-so identical to his young son's-appearing in his cheeks.

He nodded, his chin low and his eyes piercing as he gazed at her. His smirk grew, and he leaned forward slightly. "Good night, Caroline," he said quietly, his fingers grazing hers as they shifted against the door frame.

She smiled, nodding. "Goodnight, Klaus."

Their eyes met once more, and before she could react he was craning his head towards her, his lips brushing against her cheek in a soft, chaste kiss. Her skin tingled, every inch of her face seeming to react to the brief touch, and her eyes were wide with surprise in delight when he pulled away, a soft smile on her face.

She watched as he took a step back from the cab, watching her quickly slide into the backseat and pull the door shut behind her. She leaned forward, giving the driver her address, and as she settled into the seat, she glanced at the window.

He was still standing at the curb, a smile on his face and his eyes fixed on her as the car finally pulled away.

She could feel the butterflies in her stomach once more, and she leaned her head against the headrest, closing her eyes as the first happy smile in a long while crossed her lips.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Is anyone else squealing? Because I was squealing as I wrote every word. I love me some Klaroline, you dig?**

**Well, we've learned a bit about Klaus, as well as a bit about the mystery of Declan's mother. I've read a lot of your guesses as to who it is, so do keep them coming, because I love to read how you guys are interpreting it. I promise that you'll find out very soon.**

**I hope you enjoyed our little glimpse at Kalijah and Stemille. And of course, Kennett. **

**As always, sound of in the reviews.**

**Also follow me on Tumblr for ramblings and other such nonsense: klarolineepiclove**


	7. Chapter 7

**Fallen**

**Chapter Seven**

**A.N. Hello, my lovelies! Thank you so much to your response for last chapter! I'm so glad the overwhelming amount of Klaroline fluffiness was a happy sight for you as it was for me. There's a bit more this chapter, along with some revealing details, so I do hope you enjoy them. **

**On another note, if any of you follow me on Tumblr, you know that The Klaroline Awards are being held again this year, and I have been lucky enough to be nominated along with some incredible other writers! Rescue Me has been nominated for Best AU/AH fic, and my fic Borrowed Hearts is up for Best OT3 Fic. I've also be listed as a nominee for best AU/AH author, and my drabble In a Steel Trap is up for Best Romance drabble. So, if you feel I deserve to win, feel free to head over to klarolineawards . tumblr . com (without the spaces) and sound off! If not, I do hope you will still at least cast your vote for one of the other amazing writers and fics that are nominated. You don't have to be a member of Tumblr to vote, and this is a great way for the Klaroline fandom to show their appreciation for each other.**

**Anyway, off to reading! Thanks to Becky, Leah, and Miranda for their unwavering faith in me, and their invaluable help with this chapter.**

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"So…you sure disappeared for a bit the other night."

Klaus tried not to groan that amused voice that came from the doorway behind him, instead keeping his gaze fixed on the paperwork in his hands.

He'd known it was only a matter of time until someone had brought up last night and the time he'd spent with Caroline. He'd succeeded in avoiding Elijah's phone calls all weekend, and he'd pawned Rebekah off on Dean when she'd tried to corner him at lunch.

So in hindsight, he really should have seen Stefan coming. After all, his best friend prided himself on finding amusement at his expense. The fact that it was over a girl this time—he was sure it was just the icing on the cake.

"You can ignore me all you want, buddy, I'm not going anywhere."

Klaus sighed, glancing at him over his shoulder. "Don't you have crime to prevent or criminals to arrest somewhere? Has my brother's reins really slacked so much that his deputy is relegated to loitering in doorways?"

Stefan grinned, uncrossing his ankles and pushing away from the door frame. The tan button up shirt of his police uniform stretched across his broad shoulders as he hooked his fingers into his the belt at his waist, one hand resting instinctively on the butt of his service pistol. His heavy footsteps thudded against the floor as he crossed the short distance to Klaus' desk, his lips pursed into a smirk as he shrugged.

"Slow afternoon. Just making my rounds when I realized I never got a chance to even ask about your date last weekend.."

"Were we at the same party, mate?" Klaus asked, laughing as he turned around, placing the small stack of papers neatly onto his desk. "Because as I recall, I arrived alone, and left the same."

"Still doesn't mean there wasn't a date, my friend," Stefan countered. "Cami was watching the two of you like a hawk. She said there was something there, and if that goofy ass grin on your face right now is any indication, I would say her Psych skills are spot on."

"Or perhaps you should tell your girlfriend to stop psychoanalyzing." Stefan merely stared at him, a knowing smile on his face. Klaus sighed, throwing up a hand in defeat.

"What is it you want me to say, Stefan? She's...enthralling. Captivating. With a temper that can rival Bekah's, a fact that should leave you shaking in fear but just...adds to it all. There's something about her..." He trailed off, catching the look in his old friend's eyes, and shook his head. "Go on, then. Mock away, Salvatore, I know you're just dying to get it out."

Stefan only shook his head, smiling. "No," he replied, laughing quietly. "No, I'm just...it's good to see you this way again, Nik. It's been too long." He shrugged. "Anyway, I'm also here to give you these," he said, reaching into the pocket of his brown button up and pulling out three rectangular pieces of paper. "Elijah told me to tell you once again that he's sorry, but with budget meetings and the annual review boards coming up, he can't swing it. And that you'd know all of this if you picked up the phone." He grinned when Klaus merely rolled his eyes, taking the tickets from his grasp and peering down at them. "He also said that you should find someone else to go with you and Declan. Someone blonde and blue eyed, who isn't related to you, and isn't sleeping with me."

"Well, that narrows it down, doesn't it?" Klaus quipped, setting the tickets down on the table and resting his palms next to them. He sighed, raising his gaze. "Thanks for the message, mate. I'll take it under advisement."

Stefan laughed. "Do more than take it under advisement. Actually do it. You only live once, man," he said, turning on his heel and heading towards the door. "Don't blow it."

Klaus watched the deputy sheriff saunter out of his office, a sigh escaping his lips as his gaze dropped once more to the tickets on his desk.

Elijah had procured them for him and Declan months ago after seeing an advertisement, and with his son's constant chatter of sloths day in and day out, his elder brother had thought it would be a wise investment. He had planned to accompany them, hoping to take the title of favorite uncle away from Kol no doubt, but it seemed his duties had taken precedent.

He could ask Rebekah, or even Kol. Though an entire afternoon spent with his siblings sounded much less enjoyable than an afternoon spent with someone else.

And he knew exactly who he wanted that someone to be.

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"Did you have fun at your party?"

Caroline smiled across the table at Declan as he sat in his usual booth, a picture book of zoo animals opened in front of him and a juice box in his hand. His short blonde curls looked like they had been tugged on all day, his brown eyes peering over at her as he cocked his head.

"Yeah, I guess I did," she answered, crossing her ankles under the table as she poured salt into yet another salt shaker. She bit her lip as she smiled, thinking back to the end of the evening and her exchange with Klaus on the curbside. She could still feel the heat of his lips against her cheek and the weight of his hand on her lower back, and she fought down the blush she could feel creeping across her face, clearing her throat when she caught Declan's gaze still fixed on her. "What about you? Did you enjoy your night free of your dad and aunt and uncles?"

Declan shrugged, scooting his juice box away from him and curling his fingers around the pages of the book. "I guess so," he said, sighing. "I wanted to go to the party, but Daddy said I'm too little."

Caroline scoffed, shaking her head as she twisted the lid on the salt shaker and reached for another. "Trust me, you had a way more fun night than we did," she said. "I mean, we had to wear stuffy clothes and eat stuffy food, while you got to lounge around in your PJ's all night and not do anything you didn't want to. I mean, that is a pretty great way to spend the night."

His small face lit up and he leaned towards her. "I got to have ice cream for dinner."

"Ice cream for dinner?" she exclaimed, widening her eyes comically and letting her jaw drop. "Man, you were so much luckier than I was."

He nodded. "Yeah, I guess. And Daddy let me have some cake for dessert the next night. Auntie Bekah let me have some for lunch too, but she told me not to tell him, because what he doesn't know won't hurt him, which really just means he won't get mad at her for giving it to me. So don't tell him, okay?"

Caroline giggled, nodding. "My lips are sealed, I promise."

The door the bar opened with a chime, and they both glanced over, Caroline rolling her eyes slightly when she saw Kol stagger in with unnecessary swag, his arms swinging at his sides and a smirk on his face as his eyes landed on them.

"Deck, Deck, Deck, haven't we talked about hitting the bar so early in the day, mate?" he tsked, shaking his head. "I know I said you have to pace yourself, but this is taking it a little too far, don't you think? Not that I can blame you, what with the company you have here."

Caroline's retort died on her tongue when the door opened again, and Klaus quickly stepped through it, his eyes searching the room before landing on their table, and his lips quirked up into a devastating smirk.

She could practically hear her heartbeat rage in her ear, and she cursed herself for reverting back to some school girl who got butterflies every time the handsome jock smiled in her direction.

He was dressed more casually today, she noted as her eyes raked over him. A snug dark brown sweater hugged his torso, coupled with his dark dress slacks and shoes. His curls were in disarray atop his head-much like his son's-and the hint of stubble lined his jaw, his smile growing as he neared their table.

His eyes locked with hers, and she dropped her gaze, smiling as she gathered up the saltshakers and slid them into her arms, sliding out of the booth and heading towards the bar. Kol grinned at her as he slid into her newly emptied seat, sliding towards the middle so he could peer down at the book that lay open on the table.

She heard Declan call out to his father, and Klaus' footsteps quieted as they neared the corner booth. He spoke quietly to his son for a few moments, and she peeked up at them from underneath her lashes to see him kneeling on one knee, his elbow resting on the back of the vinyl seat as he listened to the boy go on about his day.

Declan's attention was briefly diverted when Kol reached over and snagged his juicebox, and as the tow headed child reached across the table to take it back before his uncle could steal a sip, Klaus' head turned towards her and their eyes met again.

She felt that familiar shiver down her spine, and her small smile spread into a grin as she dropped her gaze back to the silver lid she was twisting, shaking her head slightly.

He murmured to Declan once more, and in between the childish bickering that Kol and Declan had suddenly begun engaging in, she heard his footsteps approaching. She tried to school her face into a mask of nonchalance, telling herself to not see just how much he had started to affect her, but when he stopped at the edge of the counter, she lifted her head, her smile spreading across her face once more.

"Hi," she greeted quietly.

"Caroline," he replied, nodding his head slightly as his eyes seemed to scour her face. His lips twisted up into a smirk, and she felt the butterflies soar in her chest. "Thank you for sitting with Declan. I understand Cami had a last minute doctor's appointment, so it's much appreciated."

Caroline waved a hand, shaking her head. "Yeah, it's no problem. I like having him around. He's a good conversationalist."

Klaus laughed, glancing over his shoulder to see his son with his newly reclaimed juice box and his brother sulking in the corner of the booth. "Yeah, uh...family trait. If you haven't noticed." He laughed again, quietly, as he turned back to her, placing his palms on the countertop and leaning against it. "Caroline, I was actually wondering what your plans were for Saturday."

She looked at him, unable to keep the surprise from her face by the way his lips quirked up the slightest bit. Her hands tightened around the salt shaker, her shoulders shrugging as a soft chuckle escaped her lips. "Probably just a...quiet evening at home. One of the first weekends I've had off since I started working, so it looks like I'll be...doing laundry. Very thrilling." She tilted her head, peering up at him. "Why do you ask?"

Klaus sighed, smiling, and he shook his head. "A few months ago, Elijah mentioned this, uh, exhibit, that's coming to the Audubon Zoo. He actually got tickets for myself, Deck, and him, but as luck would have it, being responsible for the safety of the city is a full time job, as if being married to Katherine isn't, and he's not able to go."

"An exhibit?"

"A sloth exhibit," Klaus clarified, nodding when she smiled. "Elijah thought it would be a fun family venture, and given my son's passion for the animal, I have no doubt of it. But with my big brother backing out, I'm a bit wary of tackling Declan and his sheer enthusiasm by myself, so I was hoping that perhaps you'd like to accompany us."

Caroline gaped at him for a long moment before she shook herself from her stupor, tapping her fingers against the glass in her hands. "To the zoo?"

"Yes, not quite a quiet evening at home," Klaus laughed, ducking his head. "I know it may be a bit much to ask, but Declan is quite fond of you, and I know he would enjoy having you there with us…" He lowered his chin and looked up at her, smiling as he shrugged. "As would I."

She wouldn't have been able to stop the smile that stole her face if she wanted to. She caught her lower lip in her teeth, giggling quietly to herself as she shifted on her feet, curling her fingers around the edge of the countertop and lifting herself up slightly. "That actually sounds like it would be a lot of fun."

Klaus' eyes brightened at her words, and his smirk grew into a smile. "So you'll come, then?"

She nodded, humming under her breath. "I will warn you though: I'm kind of a zoo nut. I mean, we're talking food and goofy animal ear hats and feeding the giraffes. There's a chance I'll be more excited than Declan."

He laughed loudly, nodding as he ran a hand through his hair. "Well, I'd best brace myself for the chaos then."

"If you two are done flirting then, I'm bored."

They both looked over at Kol's loud outburst, seeing him sprawled out in the booth, arms crossed over his chest and legs stretched out in front of him, a discontent look on his face as he glowered at the two of them.

Caroline grinned when Klaus sighed, turning towards his brother and waving an arm towards the door.

"You're free to go, have at it."

Kol tossed back his head, groaning. "It's not fun to go alone, that's why I'm tagging after you dolt. Bonnie's locked herself away in the campus library and even my dirtiest text messages aren't penetrating the wall she's built around herself. You're supposed to entertain me, Nik! Keep me out of trouble and all that rubbish."

Caroline laughed at the sheer exasperation that was on Klaus' face when he turned back to her, and she tilted her head. "Who knew you had two children instead of one, huh?"

Klaus sighed, ignoring his brother's tantrum for the moment and reaching out a hand towards Declan. "Declan, come here for a moment, will you?"

The boy nodded, sliding out of the booth and hopping to the floor. He made his way towards them, shoving his little hands into the pockets of his denim blue jeans, and Caroline couldn't help the smile at the sight. He stopped next to his father, looking up at him quietly and shifting on his feet.

"What do you say to Caroline spending the day with us on Saturday?" Klaus asked, resting a hand on the top of his son's head.

Declan smiled, looking over at Caroline before looking at his father once more. "Okay."

"Well, that's good," Caroline said, smiling. "Because your dad has a really special place for us to go, and I'm pretty sure you're going to love it."

He turned back to look at his father with a questioning look in his eyes, and Klaus shrugged, pursing his lips as he smiled. "Well, there's a special exhibit going on at the zoo this weekend, and I thought it was high time that you were finally able to see your favorite up close and in person."

Declan's smile slipped off his face as he stared up at his father, and Klaus and Caroline exchanged a cautious glance at each other as they all stood in silence. Even Kol was peering over curiously, his elbows resting on his knees, eyebrows raised in question at his nephew's sudden mood change.

"What?" Declan finally asked in a whisper, his big brown eyes wide.

"Sloths," Klaus answered, kneeling down so he was level with his son. "The zoo is getting a family of them, and I thought it would be-"

"A family of sloths?" the boy exclaimed, gasping, causing a relieved smile to appear on his father's face. "I really get to see a sloth, in real life? One that I can see and talk to and pet and feed and play with and-"

"I don't know about that-"

Declan's eyes suddenly widened, and he his gaze slid to the side, focusing on nothing in particular as his hands clasped together, rubbing against each other as he pondered the information he'd just been told. "I'm going...to the zoo...to see a sloth," he said softly, his eyes getting bigger with every word.

Caroline giggled, leaning over the counter. "Calm down there, tiger, you still have to make it through the week."

The boy's head whipped towards her, his eyes vivid and frantic with excitement as he met her gaze, his hands flying up to tangle in his hair. "But I'm going to the zoo, and I'm going to see a real sloth." He took a deep breath, bouncing on the heels of his feet. "I'm going to see the sloth, I'm going to get to _smell_ the sloth, I'm going to get to _touch_ the sloth!"

"Declan, you can't-" Klaus tried to explain, but his words were abruptly cut off when, in a flash of movement, Declan thrown himself at his father, nearly knocking him off his feet, and wrapped his arms around him as far as they would reach.

"Thank you, Daddy, this is going to be so wicked!"

Klaus chuckled, balancing his weight on his heels as he wrapped an arm around his son's back, realizing once more just how much he loved the warmth that came with holding the boy so close. He glanced up and saw Caroline watching them with a gentle smile, and he returned it, ruffling his son's mess of blonde curls as he pulled away. "You're welcome, Deck," he said. "But remember, it's not for a few days yet, so try not to work yourself up, alright?"

Declan nodding frantically, grinning, before taking off towards his uncle and launching himself at his legs. "Uncle Kol, I get to go see a real live sloth!"

Klaus stood back up as his son babbled on, and he turned to face Caroline again, seeing her holding a hand to her chest and laughing quietly.

"Oh, my God, that was seriously the cutest thing I've ever seen."

He laughed, shrugging. "Yeah, well, he certainly has that going for him."

Caroline nodding, biting her lower lip as she gathered the salt shakers in her hands. She lifted a shoulder in a half-hearted shrug, looking up at him as she started to turn around. "Like father, like son, I guess."

She caught his wide grin before she turned her head, surprised at her sudden confidence and laughing at the cheesiness that she'd just uttered. She giggled, shaking her head, and pushed the pile of salt shakers onto the back counter.

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The week seemed to fly by, the busy nights at the bar passing the time much quicker than she would have liked. Saturday seemed to sneak up on her, and her excitement over a sorta-kinda date with Klaus gave way to panic and anxiety.

Caroline started to worry that maybe she'd been too forward with Klaus during their last few interactions. She'd been surprised herself with how easily she flirted and talked, and she had to wonder if he thought the same. Yes, he had told her he fancied her, but "fancy" could mean a dozen different things. He was British-they had all kinds of different words, like "loo" and "lift."

Just because she took it to mean that he _liked_ her liked her, doesn't mean that he actually did.

"Ready for your date?"

She glanced at the reflection of Bonnie in her floor length mirror, letting out a sigh as she tugged at her yellow tank top again, her blonde hair flying around her shoulders as she twisted on her feet. "It's not a date."

Bonnie smiled, shrugging as she leaned against the doorway to Caroline's bedroom. "If you say so. But for it not being a date, you sure antsy." She pushed away from the door frame, uncrossing her arms as she made her way towards her. "Relax, Caroline. It's a trip to the zoo, with Klaus and the most adorable little boy ever. No uptight restaurants or fancy clothes or anything like that. It's just going to be a day of fun."

Caroline sighed. "I know, it's just…" She scrunched up her face as she took in her reflection, eyeing the yellow tank top she'd paired with her denim skinny pants and sandals.

"You look great," Bonnie answered, as if she could read her mind. "Very nonchalant and non-datey without being too non datey. Not that I understand why you keep insisting it is a non date. I mean...you like Klaus, don't you?" She held up her hands, shaking her head. "And this is coming from your friend, not the girl who's dating his brother."

Caroline's lips turned up at the easy way the other girl referred to them as friends, and she laughed quietly, shaking her head as she dropped her gaze to her feet with a shrug. "Yeah, I guess, I do. I mean...I do, yes, it's just…"

"He won't hurt you, you know."

Her head snapped up at the quietly spoken words, her eyes wide as they met Bonnie's just over her shoulder, and the somber look on the other girl's face caused her chest to tighten in panic. "Wh...what?"

Bonnie shifted on her feet, her dark hair lying in curls around her shoulder, and she held Caroline's gaze in the mirror. "Klaus. You don't have to worry about him. He's a good guy, Caroline." She could see the confusion and panic in the blonde's eyes, and she shrugged. "I just mean, with the story you told me and Rebekah-"

"That story wasn't about me, Bonnie," Caroline protested, fighting to keep her voice steady as she turned around to face her.

"I know, it was about a 'friend,' you said," Bonnie replied, and Caroline could see the disbelief in her eyes. "But I'm just saying, things like that...even if they don't happen to you, they can make you a little cautious. And you don't have to worry with Klaus."

Caroline stared at her, seeing the concern and seriousness in her eyes, surprised to see no trace of pity. That was an emotion she was quite familiar with-pity. The quiet look in someone's eyes that did nothing much make things worse.

There was no pity in Bonnie Bennett's gaze. Nothing to make her feel like she was being thought less of-or her "friend" was. Nothing to make her feel ashamed or embarrassed.

"I know," she finally answered, wrapping her arms around her midsection, and shrugging.

Bonnie offered her a smile, reaching out and touching her shoulder briefly before she turned and walked towards the door. Caroline watched her go, turning back to the mirror as she nibbled on her bottom lip.

"And, you know for the record?" Bonnie said from the doorway, causing her to look up at her once more. "What your friend did? Getting out and away...she's really brave."

Caroline laughed quietly, running a hand through her hair as she raised her eyes to the ceiling. "Yeah, well, she doesn't always feel like it."

Bonnie smiled, nodding. "She is. And she shouldn't ever forget that."

The dark skinned girl smiled again before tapping her fingers against the doorframe and stepping through it, turning the corner to disappear down the hallway.

Swiping at the tears she could feel burning behind her eyes, Caroline let out a weary sigh, placing a hand over her chest as she leaned against the mirror. She tried to calm her racing heart, staring at her face in the reflection, wondering exactly when she'd feel as brave as Bonnie felt she was.

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"Do you think any of them will be eating? I wonder how long they let their toes get. Because they're toes, and not claws, Uncle Kol keeps getting that mixed up. I bet they're all gonna be up in a tree. Or swimming! Did you know that sloths love to swim, Caroline?"

Caroline couldn't help but laugh at the animated way Declan spoke, swinging her arm back and forth as he held her hand.

Despite her earlier nerves, she'd found herself relaxing in the company of the father and son duo. The zoo held the same magic for her as it did when she was a child, the sparkle in her eyes at the sight of various stone animal statues mirroring the sparkle in Declan's eyes.

She actually felt a little sorry for Klaus-he was yanked in every direction it seemed, between her and his son. He accepted it all with a smile though, standing back as Caroline giggled as she fed a giraffe a large carrot and Declan posed under a statue of a roaring lion.

He'd bought her a headband with a pair of yellow lion ears, and Declan had been ecstatic when he was able to sit and have his face painted like a tiger, his smile wide and contagious as he jumped up and down with his orange and black mask.

No exhibit, however, could hold the magic for Declan like the promise of the sloths could, so they found themselves rushing through every animal habitat in search of the Golden Chalice of habitats. They sped through the African cats, barely glimpsing the lions and tigers as they lounged in the sun. The aquarium section of the zoo was a blur as they walked passed the glass walls, eyes marveling at the various colors and shapes they spotted, and even though the penguins got a better share of their attention-because even Declan the Sloth Extraordinaire couldn't just walk past them without stopping for a laugh or two-it wasn't long before they found themselves approaching their destination.

Declan's excited cries grew louder- "The sloths, we're almost there! The SLOTHS, look, look, the SLOTHS ARE RIGHT UP THERE!"-and as if the crowd knew how important the whole situation was to the child, they seemed to part for him, clearing the way until he stood at the edge of the crowd, his eyes wide as he halted in his steps, his hand going limp in Caroline's as his gaze focused on the animals behind the fence.

"I can't believe it," he uttered in wonder, his lips turning up into a slow, pleased smile, completely oblivious to the amused chuckles that came from the adults surrounding him, his chaperones included.

He let out a breath, watching as one of the five sloths slowly made his way across the grassy terrain that had been constructed for them, his movements slow and sluggish. A childish giggle escaped his lips, one of his hands coming up to cover his wide smile, and he bounced on his feet, every nerve of his body exuding excitement. "They're so cool...can I go closer, Daddy?" he asked, looking behind him and lifting his gaze to his father.

Klaus smiled, crossing his arms over his chest and nodding towards the fence.

Declan ripped his hand out of Caroline's as he took off at a run, his sneakers skidding against the pavement as he raced towards the exhibit. The chain rattled as he slammed his hands into it, his fingers wrapping around the links and his face pressing as close as it could get.

Caroline watched him from her spot, smiling and shaking her head as she slipped her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. She looked at her side, noting the fond smile on Klaus' face as he watched his son. It was an expression she'd always found so remarkable-the look of pure adoration and pride; an almost disbelief that someone could feel the vast complexity of emotions they did for another person.

Klaus Mikaelson loved his son with all his heart, that much was obvious to her. And it was almost as if he was surprised by that fact at times.

"Sloths are probably going to dance in his dreams tonight, you know," she said, smiling when he laughed.

"He'll probably have dreams of creating a sloth army to do his bidding after this."

Caroline laughed. "I'm not sure how effective an army of sluggish animals would be. Though that could be their appeal. No one would suspect the cute, unsuspecting creatures who are always smiling. And I mean, I can really just see it now. General Declan leading them on a march towards victory, with Captain Kol at his side."

Klaus groaned, tossing his head back as he laughed. "Just what I need. Kol and Declan on a quest for world domination." He shook his head in amusement, glancing over at her before returning his gaze to his son. "Thank you for coming today, Caroline."

"Thank you for letting me come along," she replied, smiling. "Really, this is...so great. And clearly, you would have been in over your head with just yourself to wrangle Declan, so really it's a win-win."

Watching his smirk appear, she couldn't help but wonder how long he'd been doing things like this by himself. Being a parent. It brought back her questions from that night at Bonnie's party, when he'd been hesitant to answer, and she found herself worrying her lower lip with her teeth as shifted on her feet. "I bet you wish his mom could be here, huh?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, the smile fell from his face and his shoulders tensed. She could see his fingers pressing into the sides of his chest, and even his breathing had seemed to slow, as if he were trying to calm himself down.

"I'm sorry," Caroline said quickly, closing her eyes and waving a hand in the air. "I ramble. And I ask too many questions, and usually the wrong questions. It's really none of my business, and-"

"Caroline," Klaus sighed, relaxing his stance slightly as he gave a shake of his head. "It's fine. Truly." He paused for a moment, his eyes fixed on Declan. "She's dead."

She stared at him for a moment. She had assumed as much, but to actually hear that the mother of the bright little boy who had worked his way into her heart was dead was still shocking to her. She found her heart breaking for the woman who would never get to see this moment or any other in her son's life.

"I'm so sorry, Klaus," she said quietly.

"It was a long time ago, Caroline."

"But still...I mean...losing your wife…"

"She was never my wife."

His words caught her off guard, and she frowned, turning to face him.

Klaus sighed, shrugging his shoulders as he looked at her. "The truth is, we barely knew each other. It was a liquor-fueled one night stand, one I never expected to hear from again. Imagine my surprise when, two months later, she pops back up on my doorstep with Elijah in tow. She'd tracked him down, not knowing how to get ahold of me."

Caroline nodded. "She was pregnant."

"She was pregnant," he confirmed. "I wanted no part in it. But Elijah, my big brother, always the moral one...convinced me I had to. And not just had to, but that I should want to. That despite my loathing of Hayley, and hers of me, we'd created something that night, and the child shouldn't have to be punished for our drunken mistake. So I agreed. Put her up in a small apartment. Had as little contact with her as I could manage."

He chuckled, shaking his head as he ran a hand down his face. "It wasn't easy going. Hayley had a bit of a drug problem, you see. She was quite deep in it, and it was a struggle to keep her sober through the pregnancy. But by some miracle she managed, and then...there was Declan. And suddenly my loathing; my distaste for the entire situation...it didn't matter anymore. Because he was here."

"And...Hayley?" she asked, leaning towards him, her shoulder brushing his.

He shrugged. "She disappeared from the hospital. The nurses said she was gone the second she was cleared, refusing to even see the kid. That's how she referred to him. 'The kid.'" He shook his head, breathing slowly through his nose, and she could see the anger in his face. "She was in the wind after that. Elijah tried to track her down, sending photos of Deck every once in awhile when he managed to track down an address. Despite my being okay with her gone, he believed a child should have a mother. And then one day, the pictures just started being sent back, with no explanation. Elijah managed to get in touch with an old P.I. friend of his, and after some digging, he tracked her down to a morgue in Maine. A drug overdose of some kind."

Caroline could only look at him, a tug of war of emotions warring in her mind. She knew that she should feel sorry for Hayley-addiction was a serious thing-but there was no sympathy in her for the faceless woman. A person's choices define everything about them-the way they handled situations and reacted to them; the choices they made for those around them. And all she could think was that Declan's mother was selfish. She loathed even referring to her as such, because she clearly never considered herself as one. She chose her own wants and needs over those of her newborn son. She chose to look out for herself instead of the one person she should have.

There was sympathy for Declan, however. Bright, beautiful Declan, whose zest for life and pure childishness that had been a beacon for her in the last several months. She wondered how many times he'd asked his father or one of his uncles why he didn't have a mommy like other kids. She wondered if he even realized his life was different from his friends with two parents. She knew that Klaus' siblings played a large part in the boy's life: maybe he just thought it was normal as anyone else's.

"He got her eyes," Klaus' voice spoke through her thoughts, and she raised her eyes to his again, seeing him looking at Declan once more. "I hope to God that's the only thing he gets from her. Lord knows he's getting enough from me. I mean, I'm not much of a father, but I'm the only one he's got."

There was a such a sadness to his voice. As if he honestly believed he was no good for his son. That he was lacking as a father, and that realization cut Caroline to the core.

She slid her arms around her midsection, lifting a shoulder as she sighed quietly. "You're right," she said, looking over at him when he turned to glance at her. "No one's better off without their parents. And from what I see...Declan has got a lot of love in his life." She giggled as she bumped her hip against his own, smiling up at him.

Klaus held her gaze as she spoke, a flurry of emotions passing through his blue orbs, and she could feel that familiar flutter in her chest.

His lips pulled up into a grateful smile, and she found herself returning it, letting out a quiet scoff as she shook her head, but before before either of them could say another word, Declan's excited voice cut through the crowds towards them.

"Dad! Dad, come look! It's a _baby_ sloth!"

Klaus smiled, chuckling softly under his breath. He reached over, gently grazing the skin of Caroline's arms with his knuckles, a quiet thank you, tilting his chin down to peer into her face. He watched the faint blush stain her cheeks, and her smile turn flustered.

He held her gaze for a moment longer before pulling away, smiling once more and heading towards his exuberant son. He felt his chest constrict when Declan reached for his hand, pulling him towards the fence and pointing towards the small infant sloth crawling across its mother's back.

He settled his hands on his son's shoulders, leaning down and resting his chin on top of his head, letting his content smile spread across his face.

xxxxxxx

The ride home was much quieter than the ride to the zoo.

Declan's incessant chatter was now replaced by his quiet snores as he slumped over in his booster seat, his chin pressed into his chest, blonde curls falling across his forehead as his hands lay limp in his lap.

Caroline had giggled and smiled every time she caught sight of him in the rearview mirror, looking over to see Klaus shaking his head with a knowing grin. Mikaelson men slept like the dead, according to him. They could fall asleep anywhere and sleep through anything, and he proceeded to regale her with the numerous situations a teenage Kol had found himself in when he'd first discovered the joys of alcohol in high school and their morning after effects.

They'd dropped Declan off at Klaus', leaving him in the care of Rebekah-who'd been grinning a tad too cheekily at Caroline when she spotted her in the car-after Klaus insisted he would drive her home. There was no sense in her paying for a cab when he was just as willing and capable, he insisted, shooting her a stern look when she made to unbuckle her seat belt and slip out of the car.

Caroline unlocked the door to her apartment, flicking on the lights as she stepped through the doorway and held the door for Klaus to follow. His towering frame looked odd in the small apartment amongst the framed flowered art work and bright colored furniture, but she found it almost comforting as well.

She tossed her keys into the bowl on the side table, slipping her bag off her shoulders and draping it across the coat hook that hung from the door. When she turned, she found Klaus standing between the kitchen and living room, his eyes taking in every decoration and knick knack with a small smile, and she was suddenly saddened that she could take credit for any of it.

"So...this is it," she said, laughing softly as she held her arms out at her sides. "Casa de Forbes and Bennett. And occasionally Mikaelson, as your brother and sister tend to just pop up all the time."

Klaus smiled. "We do that sometimes."

"Yeah." She nodded, smiling, making her way towards him slowly. She could feel a tension between them now. Different from how it was in the beginning, when she was cautious and hesitant around him. Now it was thick and heavy, as if their eyes were speaking the volumes to each other their words couldn't fathom. "So, um...thank you again for today. I had a really good time. Better than I have in a long time."

"Thank you for coming," he replied, laughing uncomfortably as he ran a hand through his curls. "And I'm sorry, for unloading on you, when you asked about Declan's mother." He sighed, meeting her eyes. "It's not a tale I enjoy telling."

She nodded. "I wouldn't imagine it would be...does Declan know? About his mom?"

"He knows she's dead. That she's passed, as Rebekah prefers to say. The circumstances of her death, though, no. He's too young to understand. To even fathom…" He shook his head. "I dread the day I have to explain it to him. How she died and...why she was never his mother to begin with."

Caroline looked up at him, nodding. "He'll be okay whenever you do," she said. She shrugged, smiling, letting out a quiet laugh. "I mean...he has you as his dad. He is who he is because of you, Klaus. He's smart and well-behaved, and passionate and full of so much to give, and that's all because of you. He's loved, because of you. And trust me, there is no greater knowledge than that. That you are the whole world to one person, and they would do anything for you. YOU are the reason Declan is the amazing little boy he is. Hayley has no effect on him, because you make it so she didn't. You've played both the roles, and he's just...flourished, because of that. So trust me when I say that you are so much of a father, Klaus…you should never doubt that." She placed a gentle hand against his arm as she finished.

She watched as his eyes bore into her own, their deep blue pools turning darker as his gaze grew more intense, glancing between her face and the hand on his arm, and she forced herself to remain still when one of his hands lifted to her cheek, the backs of his knuckles tracing the curve of her cheekbone.

Her breath halted in her throat, her heartbeat raging in her ears. His breath ghosted against her chin as he leaned towards her, his forehead resting against her own, and she felt her eyes close of their volition as she breathed him in.

"Have dinner with me," he said softly.

Caroline's lips parted as she sighed, shaking her head slowly, and she felt his hand slip from her cheek to grasp at her own hand, his fingers wrapping around hers.

She wasn't sure she wanted this. No, she knew she did-but she wondered if she should. She was already so far in over her head with this man and his son. Could she risk falling even deeper; getting even more involved?

"Take a chance, Caroline," he whispered, his nose grazing hers, and she bit back a gasp when his lips touched hers for the briefest moment.

It was just a soft caress, barely lasting a second, but she felt the fire clear down to her toes. The tension seemed to stifle her then, clenching her chest and stealing her breath, and she moved involuntarily, lifting herself up onto her tiptoes and brushing her own lips against his.

She whimpered softly, and she heard the quiet growl reverberate from deep in his chest.

His hands circled around her waist, pulling her into him, and she rested her hands against his chest, fingers curling around the V-neck of his Henley as he crushed his lips to hers. She melded against him, sighing against his lips, and she gasped when his tongue slipped between her parted lips, grazing her own.

His hands splayed across her back, one trailing up to tangle in the blonde curls at the nape of her neck, while her own wrapped around the band of necklaces around his neck, tugging his face even closer to hers.

Her chest burned with the need for air, and she tore her lips away from his to gasp for a breath, a moan escaping her mouth when his lips trailed down her jaw and to the curve of her neck, peppering kisses with every inch he covered.

She tilted her head back, sighing, her fingers sliding into the mess of curls they'd been dying to touch for months, and she closed her eyes as she realized she already had fallen further. There was no going back now, not after she'd seen so much of this mysterious man. Not after she'd learned about him and his son-his family-everything that made him who he was. She couldn't turn back now.

"Well, how's this for an after dinner show?"

Caroline let out a startled squeak at the laughing voice that came from behind them, and she gently pushed Klaus away, her heated eyes locking with his for the brief moment before she turned around, her face turning red once she caught sight of an joyous Kol standing next to an equally mortified Bonnie in the doorway.

She hastily swiped at her smeared lipgloss, closing her eyes when she heard Klaus sigh in irritation next to her, only managing to bring out a loud laugh from his younger brother.

"Please, don't let us interrupt!" Kol exclaimed with a grin, lacing his fingers with Bonnie's as he pulled her into his side. She averted her gaze, shoving him in the direction of the hallway.

"Kol, stop," she hissed before looking over at them apologetically. "I'm so sorry, you guys. I didn't think you'd be back yet. We'll just go, so, just...yeah."

She pushed Kol forwards, her hands against his back, and she rolled her eyes when he craned his neck to keep his brother and Caroline in his sights. "But darling, we'll miss all the fun!"

Bonnie's threats were hushed as she ushered him towards her bedroom, the door slamming shut loudly behind them, and Caroline let out a mortified laugh as she ran a hand down her face.

"Oh my God."

Klaus sighed. "Like I said...we do that sometimes." She laughed, turning towards him, and he smiled, brushing a strand of hair away from her face as he curled a hand around her neck, pulling her towards him again. He brushed his lips against hers gently, feeling her hand curl around the curve of his bicep, and he smiled against her mouth. "Dinner?"

Caroline laughed softly, nodding against him, and pressed her lips back to his.

xxxxxxx

_"Matt, it's me...I know you told me I shouldn't call for awhile, and I promise that I won't. But I just wanted you to know that...you don't have to worry. I'm going to be okay. And…I love you, Matty."__  
_

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**So yes...a few of you called that Hayley was in fact Declan's absentee mom. I know that there has been a lot of discord in terms of that, but I hope you all understand that this was my way of writing an acceptable storyline when it came to the baby plot and Hayley. I'm in no way a fan of either, but I felt it just fit with this. I would like to point out that she is, in fact, dead and gone, and won't be making an appearance. She was purely a plot point, and served no other purpose than to bring Declan into this story. **

**Do let me know what you all think! **

**Follow me on Tumblr for your own amusement: klarolineepiclove**

**And don't forget to vote in the Klaroline Awards this week!**


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